Reality Trip
by DreamersTales
Summary: Based off of the double episode 'Reality Trip' which held a lot of untapped potential in my opinion. A closer look at the trio's cross country trip, and how Danny's family started to come to terms with his identity. Far more realism than in the show, with more gruesome looks at the characters and scenes, so viewers discretion advised. *Completed*
1. 1 - Prologue

**A/N**

**This story is based off of the double episode 'Reality Trip' and follows the same basic plot line of the episodes. However, I thought they had a lot more potential than they were given, and wanted to go in depth with not only the trio's cross country trip, but the thoughts and emotions Danny's family felt when they found out their son was really Danny Phantom.**

**I am attempting to give a more realistic feel to the show, so some blood and gore may be prevalent as well as gruesome descriptions of ghosts or flashback events.**

**This is my first time writing for Danny Phantom, and any thoughts, comments, ideas, or concerns are very appreciated and I hope you guys enjoy!**

* * *

Such insolent little fools they all were. Walking the Earth with such powerful ghostly beings that made them all look like pathetic ants swarming about. He despised them all. But could he truly say that he was any better? He, the master of all shows, who wanted nothing more than to be the very thing most others feared.

Bright florescent bulbs flickered to life above him, blinding the man in harsh streams of light. Blinking once, twice, he lifted his head, glowering with a sickly sweet smile dancing against blood red lips.

"Well, if it isn't the glorious Men In White here to give me a treat. Tell me, have you finally managed to capture one those elusive ghosts? Doubtful, as you barely seem capable of wielding those weapons at all."

His voice dripped with mockery, his fractured smile holding no sign of pleasure in its twisted expression. Yet they stood before him with folded arms and those silly little pristine suits.

One man stepped forward, sunglasses casting the prisoner's reflection back at him, showing him the sight of a horrendous little man with a long pointed nose and a cadaverous complexion. The first man lifted a remote, and the corner of his mouth twitched as though he might smile.

"You'll take that statement back when you see what we have."

It's a taunt, plain and simple, and the man's hands tightened into fists against his shackles. He'd always been one for theatrics, but he didn't care to be the one forced to watch another's menial attempts at winning a crowd.

With a single press of a button, a large door slid open in the floor. From out of the depths a container ascended, and his attention was suddenly piqued. Leaning against his bindings, straining on the edge of his seat, he wondered briefly if this was how his own audience felt when he performed.

The tension in the room built as the container came to a halt with a heavy _'thud'_ that sent tremors racing through the floor. A similar light turned on above the cylindrical tube, allowing piercing red hues to stare inside.

He could not contain the shock that overtook his features, his jaw dropping and eyes widening, gaping at the ghost they'd succeeded in apprehending. Lydia. His sweet, manipulative Lydia. His first, his best, his most loyal.

Anger fueled him now, head ripping in the direction of the two men, their smug expressions the only thing he could see in his rage. How he would love to rip them to pieces, tearing and cutting and devouring their anguished cries. How dare they stand before him, before the greatest of his kind, and flaunt such a weak show of power. He should make them suffer, make them beg for mercy, make them-

No. He needed to relax. A steady breath in, a confident breath out. And a smile. A smile now drenched in venom and masked by mirth.

"Quite an accomplishment. Though I fail to see why I'm being shown such a thing?"

A question politely demanding an answer, and a look exchanged between the ridiculously clad men that had a sick smile twisting further at the corners.

"You are known for your knowledge on ghostly items."

One began, and he nodded ever so slowly.

"I tend to.. dabble."

"We want to know what you know about this."

The second barked out, holding out the same remote and pressing a different button. Red eyes shifted, watching as another hole, though smaller this time, slid open on the ground as a small pedestal began to rise. When it had risen entirely, he could practically feel himself drooling like a beast, unable to look away from what was in front of him.

"The Reality Gauntlet."

He breathed, mesmerized by the lights glinting off polished metal and gemstones set off to the side casting their colors across the room. It had been meticulously crafted, with four indentations carefully set into the metal. It was several moments later when he saw the triumphant smiles and he leaned back in his chair, resting bound hands in his lap while offering an indifferent shrug.

"Never heard of it."

Another exchanged look.

"We know how you envy ghosts, Freak."

The first one ground out, receiving a mere arched brow in question from the prisoner.

"We have reason to believe that this gauntlet has enough spectral power to eradicate ghosts forever."

"Oh?"

He asked, thin lips contorting with the sound as he blinked again in faux innocence. The second man scowled, striding forward with a manila folder clutched tightly in hand.

"Including this one."

Reaching inside, he pulled a photograph from its pages and thrust it forward, crimson orbs focusing on the child captured on film, his white hair and green eyes seeming to mock him even from the picture.

"Oh, you meant _that_ reality gauntlet," He corrected, smiling once more with devious eyes staring at them intently as the gears began turning faster in his head. "I may know a thing or two about such a device."

No reaction comes from either man as the prisoner slowly lifted his hands, making a gesture to his bindings. Yet again the remote is produced, and the iron shackles are falling away with the simple push of a button. Rubbing at his wrists, the man rose, rolling his shoulders back as his black coat shifted against his slight frame.

"Such a gauntlet is quite rare, indeed. And while I may only know a few, trivial things, I do believe these gems play a rather _interesting_ part."

Walking closer, a ghastly white hand stretched out, skeletal fingers brushing against the cool metal surface.

"Do you mind if I try it on?"

He turned to face them, limbs twitching in anticipation as he waited for them to speak. The hesitation is palpable in the air and he can hardly stand it, the waiting. He's so close now, so close to his revenge.

"Whatever, it doesn't work anyway."

He nearly missed the flippant response, the vague intrigue in the voice enough to draw that treacherous grin back again. A perfected showman's smile, and oh, was he about to give them a show.

"I do believe, as I said, that these gems play a part in such a device."

Reaching out, his fingers grasped the square jewel, its scarlet hue reflecting the shade of his eyes as he slipped it into the corresponding opening on the weapon.

"The red holds the power of life; giving sentience to anything you will it too."

The diamond shaped stone came next, the golden gem fitting perfectly in place above the first.

"The yellow grants form, allowing anything you wish to change and take a different shape."

They seemed only minutely impressed, their scowls remaining firmly in place as he picked up the third and final gem offered.

"And the blue, it offers the power of fantasy, the holder having the ability to turn any fantasy to reality with a mere thought."

The round stone fell as easily into place as the others, with only one jewel missing now.

"The three of these mean very little, but all together, they have the ability to control all of reality, though the gauntlet is powerless without its main source of power."

Several feet remain between the Men In White and himself, and he found his plan falling into place as easily as the stones had.

"A power source I just happen to have right here."

It's a flurry of movement, the two men watching in shock as Freakshow pulled his earring free, the red triangle falling into place with its three brothers as the gauntlet began to hum with power.

"Let's give you a little taste of what life can do, shall we?"

Freakshow laughed, his arm thrusting forward as the two men dove for their weapons. Such a futile attempt, however, as a blast of red light shot from the gauntlet, finding its way to a set of tubes connected to the machine holding his beloved servant.

Smoke began pouring from the sudden and violently disconnected lines, alarms blaring a warning as the pumps took on a life of their own and wrapped around the men in a snakelike manner. Freakshow let out another laugh, cold and chilling as he strode forward, staring down at the two struggling men. Nothing but ants wriggling about after consuming poison. He knelt, rummaging through the first man's pockets and accessing a key card.

"And you call yourselves ghost hunters."

He scoffed, stalking over to the blaring machine and sliding the card into its hole before pressing the release button beside it. The doors parted slowly as the ghost inside floated through the air and paused in front of the small ringmaster.

"Lydia."

He spoke, watching with pride as blood colored eyes pulled open and she knelt in front of him. She was such a sight to be seen, with spikes protruding from her head and tattoos covering a sickeningly radiant body.

She was far from beautiful, but her appearance was of little matter to him. No, it was her loyalty he cherished about her. The ghost pulled a tattered red hood over her head, hiding her ghoulish spikes and blood thirsty eyes as Freakshow turned, his gaze shifting from one man to the other.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be taking my leave."

Walking beside the ghost, he hesitated, glancing over his shoulder and grinning at the miserable men as they struggled for their freedom, writhing around on the ground futilely.

"I'll be sure to tell the ghost child hello from you."

It's a final taunt thrown their direction as he sauntered out of the room, leaving the blaring alarms and their frantic shouts behind.

"Let us go home, Lydia." He said, his smile falling and a darker look replacing it. "We have much we must prepare for."


	2. 2 - Danny

There was so much blood. All he could see was blood and ectoplasm, mixing together and leaving a trail of the horrific cocktail against the shifting floor. Everywhere he turned it followed him like a disease, leading the very ghost responsible for his suffering right to him.

He'd tried to fight and had failed; taking a critical blow that had exhausted his powers, leaving the boy defenseless and alone in the clutches of his enemy. Danny had managed to stumble a few more steps before his legs had given out and his body had admitted defeat, forcing the child to collapse.

Warmth pooled beneath him, the strange mixture of his human and ghostly blood staining his clothes in large patches. Each breath was more agonizing than the last, his chest shuddering as his lungs screamed for air he couldn't grasp. A deep laugh echoed around him as dazed blue eyes stared up at the hulking machine in mute terror.

He couldn't die here in the Ghost Zone, not without telling his parents he loved them, or teasing his big sister one last time. He couldn't die while his two best friends wondered when he'd be home. He couldn't just give up, but his body refused to move. He felt as if he were burning from the inside out, fire consuming his organs and bursting through his veins.

"Finally I've caught you, Whelp."

The hunter's voice boomed, his large frame towering over the dying halfa. Danny watched in fading light as the ghost hovered above him, a large hunting knife being brandished from behind his back.

He tried to bring his ghost form back, to become intangible for just a few seconds longer, just long enough to get away from Skulker, just to give himself one last fighting chance, but as light began fading from his world and he could see the neon flames of the hunters hair flickering as he drew closer, he knew it was no use. There were no more chances. It was game over for him.

"I shall finally have your pelt hanging on my wall."

The hunter gloated, the edge of his knife pressing into the boy's arm as it split the skin, creating another escape for his blood. He tried to scream, tried to pull away, but his body was immobile, refusing to listen to the commands he so desperately tried to send. His mind was overwhelmed by pain, the fire inside devouring his lungs, leaving him unable to even gasp for air.

The hunters knife was slick with his blood, crimson mixing with a sickening shade of ghostly green as his body screamed in agony, begging for it to be over. Just let him die. Please. He couldn't take any more.

The blade moved up his bicep, slicing through his flesh and detaching the skin from his body.

Tears streamed down the boy's face as his vision faded away, the last image he held being the triumphant grin on the ghosts horrifying maw.

* * *

"Get away!"

Jolting upright in his bed, Danny's hand lifted, an ectoplasmic shot firing across his room and hitting his wall with a crash. With his chest a crushing weight against him, the boy shuddered, looking down at his floor where his pillows had been thrown during the night.

A wave of nausea hit the boy as he scrambled out of his bed, tripping over the sheets that were tangled around his legs and stumbling into his bathroom. Crashing to his knees in front of the toilet, he barely had time to lift the lid before he was heaving, the pathetic remains of his dinner the night before floating in the water.

His body quaked, trembling hands reaching to the counter for a towel as he wiped the bile off his lips and fell back against the wall in exhaustion, tears burning in his eyes. It had felt so _real_ this time. Skulker's knife against his skin, peeling away his flesh inch by inch.

Closing his eyes tightly, Danny's knees drew close to his chest, his arms wrapping tightly around them as he pressed his forehead down, trying to calm his erratic breathing. In and out, inhale and exhale. He had nightmares all the time, this was no exception.

Despite telling himself those things, his fingers inched over his right arm, feeling for any sign of the first cut the hunter had made in his dreams. When no injury was found, Danny lifted his head, staring up at the bulb flickering occasionally above his mirror. The dream meant nothing, they rarely did. He was just stressed from the school year and his battle with Technus the night before. That's all it was.

Shifting on the floor, he grabbed ahold of the sink and pulled himself up, a final tremor shooting through his body as he reached over to flush away what his dream had caused. Staring in the mirror, he grimaced, his face covered in sweat with the circles under his eyes a dark, contrasting color against sallow cheeks

A faint bruise peeked out from the collar of his pajama shirt, looking far better than it had the previous night. At least he had that going for him. He healed at three times the normal rate of a human, therefor allowing him to take a beating the night before, and have hardly any damage to show for it in the morning. Aside from his weariness, however. How he wished to find a cure for _that_ side effect.

Tugging off his pajamas, he ignored the damp feeling of sweat coating them and stepped in the shower, turning it to a cool setting. Ever since becoming a ghost, or rather, half of one, he couldn't stand the heat. Warm showers stung his skin, heavy blankets made it hard to breathe, and the summer so far had been nearly unbearable.

He refused to tell anyone this, however, especially Jazz. The last thing he needed was the three of them to start theorizing as to why that were the case, and frankly, he was scared of the answer. He'd come to terms with his ghostly abilities, reveled in them even.

But sometimes when his skin felt cold and clammy, and he could see his eyes glazing over in his own reflection, he found himself wondering just how much of him was truly dead, and what pieces were still alive.

His body shuddered again and Danny shut off the water immediately, watching as droplets fell from his hair and mixed in with the rest circling the drain. This was not how he was going to start his day, not when it was the final day of school, and he had a cross country trip planned with his two best friends.

Walking back into his bedroom with water still dripping from his hair, he tugged on clean shorts and jeans, carrying his shirt back towards the bathroom before stopping suddenly. Right next to the doorframe was a small hole caused by his frightened ectoblast.

Huffing an annoyed sigh at himself, he looked back around his room, mentally counting which posters he could move to hide yet another hole. This wasn't the first time such a thing had happened, and unfortunately, he doubted it would be the last. When one does not present itself, he made a mental note to hang a magazine clipping there before he returned to his sink.

Holding his shirt out, bright blue hues survey the damage to his slim frame that was normally hidden by his clothes. Several patches of discolored skin wrapped around his stomach and back, one of which looking suspiciously akin to a large boot striking his side A jagged cut along his left bicep had already scabbed over and begun to scar, and the dull ache in his chest told him that the cracked rib he'd suffered had mended itself as well.

Tugging his shirt on and hiding the damage, he ran his fingers through his wet hair and glanced at his clock. He was late. Very, very late.

"No!"

He chided himself, frantically brushing his teeth and looking around for his backpack.

"Crap!"

His hand flew upwards, hitting himself in the face as he remembered he'd left his bag with Tucker the night before. He just had to hope his friend would remember to bring him his books, because the last thing he needed was Lancer keeping him after on the last day of the school year.

"I am so late! Stupid ghosts!"

He groaned, pulling open his bedroom door before pausing, a small smile drifting over his face. Stepping back and shutting his door once more, he walked over to his window and grinned wider.

"I guess I'll just have to take the aerial route today."

In seconds, two rings of light appeared around the halfa's middle as the two rings simultaneously moved up and down, changing him into his ghost form. Turning intangible, Danny moved through his bedroom wall and hovered in the air.

This had to be his favorite part, really. Having the chance to fly, to move with the wind currents. Sam and Tucker didn't seem to enjoy it like he did. They couldn't understand what it felt like, and really, he couldn't do it justice by simply describing it. It felt surreal, more than anything.

Because sure, ghost hunting took a lot out of him, the nightmares were a real drag, and Amity Park had become ghost central as of late, with stronger and more fearsome ghosts showing up all the time.

But his abilities did do their part in making up for it. He could walk through walls, disappear and fly. What other kid could say they experienced even one of those things?

"Hey you! Ghost kid!"

The sudden shout drew Danny's attention, glowing green eyes finding their way to his father. He cringed; thankful for the steam that covered at least some of the larger man's body as he stood outside his shower. Jack moved to stand next to the window, hateful eyes glaring daggers at the boy as he tried to lean closer, attempting to make his voice louder for his threat.

"I get my hands on you, I'll rip you apart molecule by molecule!"

He yelled, pulling out a Fenton Foamer, from a place Danny had no interest in asking about, and aiming it at the ghost boy. Danny merely turned away, not in the mood for any witty banter with the older ghost hunter, flying towards his school as his father's shouts faded behind him.

"And this is a perfect example of why I won't be going ghost on my Fenton Family Vacation."

He grumbled, speeding faster towards his school while trying to force the image of Jack showering from his mind, finally coming to land behind a few trees in the courtyard. The two rings appeared around him once more, changing the halfa back into his human form as he walked towards the front doors, looking around for his friends.

"Danny!"

Turning, he spotted Tucker walking towards him, the halfa's backpack in hand.

"You're a life saver, Tuck!"

He sighed with relief, jogging towards his friend.

"You should probably keep a better eye on this thing, who knows what could happen."

Tucker responded, offering the bag out to the boy who only shook his head wearily.

"What, so Technus can ruin my book report? I don't think Lancer would accept the excuse that a ghost ate my homework."

"I dunno, Danny, he might accept anything today. Have you seen him yet? He's practically singing with joy about the end of the year."

Looking over his shoulder, Sam stood behind him, her usual Goth attire making her stand out against the bright clothes the other students wore.

"I'm looking forward to it too. Not a single ghost fight, no crazy battles with arch enemies. Just me and my friends traveling cross country together. It's gonna be great."

He stated, his arm falling over Tucker's shoulder as the tech obsessed boy nudged at him.

"Don't forget the awesome comic con we'll be going too!"

"How could we forget? You've been talking about it for weeks now."

Sam scoffed, receiving a dirty look from the boy.

"Like we haven't heard all about your Gothapalooze thing. How many times can someone use 'Goth' and 'black' in a sentence together before it becomes redundant?"

He shot back, Sam's lavender eyes narrowing.

"You've probably heard it less than we've heard about your crazy comic book theories!"

"Guys, come on!"

Danny laughed, pulling away from Tucker and walking backwards towards the school.

"They'll be plenty of time to argue about this later. Let's just get this over and done with and hope Lancer doesn't bore us to death on our last day."

He proposed, Tucker and Sam's eyes widening.

"Uh, Danny-"

Sam started, grimacing as Danny's back bumped into someone large and tall.

"Mr. Fenton, how nice to see you actually bothered to show up today."

"Mr. Lancer! I-I didn't see you there."

Danny laughed weakly, jumping away and rubbing at the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Obviously."

The teacher frowned, shooting a look at the other two whose gazes shifted away immediately.

"Ms. Manson, Mr. Foley. The bell is about to ring, and you wouldn't want to be late for my _boring_ class."

"We were just headed there! Right now actually! Right, Sam?"

Tucker spoke quickly, hands grabbing ahold of Sam's shoulders.

"Yeah! C'mon, Danny."

Sam forced a smile, grabbing ahold of Danny's sleeve and dragging him towards the front steps of the school with them.

"Why didn't you tell me he was right there?"

Danny hissed, pulling away from Sam's iron grasp.

"I tried to warn you, but what was I supposed to do, he popped out of nowhere!"

The dark haired girl complained, readjusting the spider bag on her shoulder.

"So much for that 'singing with joy' stuff.."

He grumbled, receiving a frown from her at his comment.

"At least the concerts tonight!"

Tucker grinned, holding out his PDA with pride, its screen flashing a reminder of the event they might've forgotten.

"Uh, yeah, Sherlock, didn't you notice the band setting up on that ginormous stage? Kinda hard to miss."

Sam pointed out, walking into the classroom as Tucker pulled the device close to his face.

"She's just jealous of you, don't listen to her."

"Should I leave you two alone?"

Danny joked, walking into the classroom himself as Tucker shoved the device in his pocket.

"They'll be plenty of time for that later."

He responded seriously as Lancer walked in behind them, casting a disapproving gaze over the class while Danny slid into his seat. Glancing up at the clock on the wall, his shoulders slumped wearily. Today was going to be a long day, he just knew it.

* * *

The laughter and cheers can be heard throughout the halls, spreading out into the courtyard and parking lot as the trio is pushed along with the crowds.

"It's finally over! Summer vacation, here we come!"

Tucker cheered, his fist pumping in the air as Danny stifled a yawn.

"You okay? You look sort of.."

Sam trailed off, a small smile rising to Danny's lips.

"Dead?"

He finished for her, catching the worried look his two friends shared.

"I was going to say drained."

"I'm fine, just tired from the fight. Didn't get much sleep when I got home, either, bad dreams."

He said it with an indifferent shrug, but even thinking about his nightmare sent a chill racing down his spine.

"Well, you won't have to worry about ghosts at the comic book, sci-fi, and fantasy convention!"

Tucker encouraged, lightening up the mood as he pulled the flyer he'd been carrying around for the last month out of his pocket.

"Not unless they're in costume."

Sam remarked, pulling out the poster she'd been saving.

"I'm looking forwards to the space center in Florida."

Danny said, pulling out his own flyer to hold up with the others.

"Oh please, the Gothapalooza is going to be the best time any of us have! I can't wait for that bleak, Nevada desert!"

"San Diego is _way_ cooler than some desert, Goth Girl."

Tucker stated confidently.

"Just because you enjoy all that techno geek stuff doesn't mean we all do. Some of us enjoy meaningful conversations about what's going on in the _real_ world, not some make believe one!"

"Are you guys gonna bicker the whole time?"

Danny sighed, turning around to stare at his two friends.

"This trip is the first time all of us have-hey!"

His words are cut off as something hit his shoulder and made him stumble, watching as a pile of books and papers fell to the ground. Annoyed blue eyes glared up at the boy as he stared in his own annoyance at his older sister.

"Geez, Danny, watch it!" "Geez, Jazz, watch it!"

The siblings yelled at the same time, the two frowning at one another as Danny reached down and grabbed one of her books, his eyes scanning over the title.

"Ghost Envy For Dimwits?"

He scoffed, arching a brow at the older as she pulled the book from his hands and straightened her form, brushing the hair away from her face.

"It's research material, I'm writing my college thesis on ghost envy."

She said proudly, straightening her stack of books and staring at him and his friends.

"College might be a year and a half away still, but you can never be too prepared for-"

"Don't know, don't care."

Danny cut her off, his hands lifting while shaking his head, his dark hair falling into his eyes with the movement.

"I'm not listening to you talk about some college thing right now. From now on it's no more books, no more pencils, and no more going ghost so my parents can't 'tear me apart molecule by molecule'."

He stated, making a motion with his hands of ripping something in two as Jasmine frowned, rolling her eyes at his childish antics.

"You're gonna regret not putting more time and energy into your future, Danny."

"Right now, my future holds the Space Camp in Florida."

He stated, watching as his sister shook her head.

"You can't make a living out of fighting ghosts, Danny. Just remember that."

As Jazz walked away, Danny found himself scowling at her comment.

"What's she know, anyway?"

He muttered when the silence lasted too long for his comfort.

"Some books are worth looking into, you know."

Sam said slowly, holding out a red, leather bound book that Danny barely glanced at. Had she been carrying it around the whole time?

"It has information about different ghost relics?"

She sighed, pulling the book back to her chest as Danny stared blankly at her.

"Oh, never mind! You're hopeless."

She griped, storming off down the sidewalk ahead of them.

"What did I do?"

He questioned, Tuckers eyes looking the boy up and down.

"You really are clueless, aren't you?"

He pointed out, turning and following after Sam.

"Guys, wait!"

Jogging after them, he fell in step with Sam and reached his hand out for the book she kept a firm grasp on.

"Are you really mad at me?"

"No."

She muttered, looking up at him with irritated lavender hues.

"I just wish you'd listen to me once in a while."

He's not sure if she intended for him to feel guilty by what she was saying, but he did. The way she stared at him, with a mixture of hurt and anger, it made his chest ache in a way he didn't like.

"Tell you what, bring that book with you, and we can take a look at it on the trip, okay?"

He offered, giving her his best 'forgive me' smile. She held the book tighter before giving in and rolling her eyes at him.

"Yeah, whatever. Hey, you never actually told me how you got _my_ parents to agree to me spending the summer with _your_ parents."

Danny can't help but smirk, running a hand through his hair and shrugging a bit as the memory played through his head.

* * *

_They were so different from Sam. The Manson family was loaded, and they had a way of making sure everyone _knew_ they were loaded without actually coming out and saying how well off they were. But they were also some of the biggest snobs in the neighborhood, which he could say because Sam called them that all the time, sometimes even to their faces._

_Her mother alone had tried time and again to pull Sam out of her 'Goth phase' and blamed Danny himself for a majority of her problems. It was something Sam fought with her parents about a lot, their friendship. He got the sense that if he were to up and disappear one day that that would be perfectly alright with Jeremy and Pamela Manson._

_Which is exactly why he knew they would never agree for Sam to spend the summer with his family. So he took it upon himself to make them.. a little more willing. He'd made his way into their house, finding the two adults sitting in their living room discussing their next protest when he'd possessed Pamela._

_Tucker thought it was one of his coolest abilities, while Sam found it a bit more on the disturbing side. Danny himself was just fascinated by the whole thing. It had been a convenient power, of course, but at times it became overwhelming, having the sudden rush of a person's thoughts flood into his head._

_Most he couldn't remember, and the rest he could normally shove aside. But sometimes, one little thing stuck in his head, and that was when things got annoying for him. As he entered Mrs. Manson, he felt himself connecting with her, his soul over powering her own and shoving it back as he snapped her head up, locking bright neon eyes with Mr. Manson._

"_I think Sam should spend the summer with the Fenton family on a road trip."_

_Jeremy Manson seemed taken aback by what left his wife's mouth so suddenly, opening his own mouth to respond as Danny deserted her body and dove into his. The same rush of thoughts come pouring into the halfa's mind as he turned the man's head, seeing the disoriented look Pamela had that most people got after being possessed. But he didn't have time for feeling guilty; he was here for a reason._

"_I think you're right," He spoke, his head twitching strangely. "She should go and have fun, and we should never discuss this ever again."_

_Grinning, Danny released Mr. Manson, hovering nearby while watching the two of them recover from their possessions before they resumed their previous conversation._

* * *

"I just sort of.. used my powers of persuasion. You know I can be quite the-"

"Danny!"

The sound of his name being screamed pulled the boy from his thoughts, eyes darting around in search for his raven haired friend. The sky had darkened considerably in just a few seconds, taking on the appearance of night instead of afternoon. A crowd of people raced in his direction, the panicked screams making it clear something had just happened that he'd obviously missed.

"Danny!"

The cry echoed again, the halfa's blue hues turning upwards, watching in dismay as his two friends were carried through the air by ghostly apparitions.

"Hold on!" He yelled, looking around for witnesses before ducking behind a dumpster. "I'm going ghost!"

* * *

**A/N**

**I'm really surprised at the awesome feedback I've already gotten, but I really appreciate all of it! I wanted to play around with the side effects Danny might experience with ghost fighting, such as chronic nightmares and insomnia, as well as what it might be like to actually possess another human being.**

**By request, I will be writing a 'bonus chapter' mid story of how Paulina, Dash, Mr. Lancer and Valerie each found out and reacted to Danny Fenton actually being Danny Phantom. Hope you guys enjoy this next chapter, please let me know if you have any other requests or ideas, and all critique is greatly appreciated!**


	3. 3 - Sam

Of course there had to be a ghost attack on the last day of school. Did they track Danny's schedule for the sole purpose of trying to ruin their lives? Sam wouldn't have doubted it. The trio had stopped walking when she'd asked Danny how he'd gotten her parents to agree to her going with his family for the summer, though she'd suspected she already knew the answer.

She hated when he did the whole possession thing. She'd asked him time and again not too. For him it was different, he got to be inside, controlling their movements and what they said. But from the outside it was utterly horrifying.

The moment he took over someone, their body became clammy, the life literally _draining_ from their beings. Their bodies twitched in unnatural ways, limbs jerking and flailing. Their eyes glowed an unnerving shade while at the same time being completely glazed over. The halted way their words were forced out, like the body was choking on each syllable they were forced to utter.

She might disagree with her parents on most things, but that didn't mean she wanted them to go through such a horrific ordeal. And the after effects were almost as bad, like a screwed up sort of déjà vu. They had a vague recollection of speaking and what was said, but their bodies were heavy and their souls felt drained.

Danny had never stayed longer than a few minutes inside a body before, and at the very least Sam was grateful for that. If he crushed a soul for too long, how much damage would be done when he finally left? Would the person recover, or would they be an empty husk with vacant eyes the rest of their lives?

It made her shudder to even think about, so how could the boys be so nonchalant about it all?

But in the time he had taken to think about how to answer, all hell had broken loose. The horizon had shifted from its sunny afternoon to a disturbing obsidian hue and a chill sent shivers running down the girl's spine as she hugged her book closer, tugging off her backpack and shoving it inside.

As she pulled her bag back over her shoulders, Tucker grabbed ahold of her arm tightly, dragging her away. No, not away. Up. And unfortunately, that wasn't Tucker. Looking up, Sam bit back a scream, staring at the glowing form of a bat. Its open maw dripped ectoplasm from its fangs and where its eyes should have been were instead nothing but a void, empty sockets brimming with ghostly blood.

"Danny!"

She screamed, her hands looking for something to grab onto, anything to fight with. She could see Tucker below her, being carried up into the darkened sky just as she was.

"Danny!"

She screamed again, spotting a flash of light below them, a sure sign of Danny's transformation. The bats let out an eerie screech to one another as the girl grimaced against the piercing noise. Turning her head to look around, Sam spotted the owner of the bats, and fear began gnawing away inside of her.

Lydia. She hovered in the middle of the sky, her arms outstretched as a swirling mass of energy danced around her, pure red hues catching the girl's frightful stare as a sickening smile crawled onto her lips.

With a flourish of her hands, the wave of energy shot out in all directions to wreak havoc on everything it touched. Smoke drifted to the sky from trees set alight, the sound of windows shattering was accompanied by hysterical screams, and if she tried, Sam could just hear the sound of sirens in the distance.

Lydia lifted her arms again, the tattoos that decorated her body pulled away one by one, pieces of her flesh ripping free to become their own sentient beings. Strange and disturbing creatures, varying from mutant birds to deadly scorpions, take on a life of their own to target students of their school in a sadistic chase.

"Sam, you alright?"

Tucker's voice called out, his hands wrapped tightly around the straps of his backpack where a second bat had latched onto him.

"I'm fine! I think.." She muttered, looking back up at the ghost hovering in the air, small droplets of blood trickling down her arm from the claws digging into her skin. "Remind me again why we hang out with a kid who has ghostly enemies?"

She loved being Danny's friend, and it was incredibly cool that he had the powers he did. But when her and Tucker were constantly kidnapped, tricked, and put in the line of fire, it got kind of old.

"Because you have a crush on him?"

Tucker responded immediately, looking up at her as she glared in his direction. She hated sometimes that he was more observant than Danny was. And if someone like Tucker could figure it out, it spoke volumes of just how dense Danny truly was.

She hated that about him. He constantly gushed about Paulina, about how perfect she was and how he wanted to date her, and she was as shallow as they could possibly come. Did he really just have _no _standards? And then there was Valerie. His literal enemy, someone who tried to _hunt_ and _kill_ his ghost half on a daily basis, and he wanted to date _her_?

She didn't know if she was more offended or relieved at this point. If he was willing to date such girls, did she really want to date _him_? The answer was yes. Of course it was yes. She had liked him for ages now it felt like, but he didn't seem able to see it. Though maybe that was the best thing for right now.

"Get away!"

A high pitched scream attracted the two's attention as the bats hovered near the school, Sam's eyes scanning the ground as Tucker pointed towards a corner of the building.

"There!"

Paulina was curled up in a corner, her petrified eyes wide as she waved uselessly at the ghostly tattoos trying to attack her.

"Go away! I'm too pretty to die!"

She cried, a mutated bird shrieking at her as oily colored blood dripped from its tongue and its bulging eyes sent streams of ectoplasm dripping from its face down onto the girl's shoes. In seconds Danny is racing to the girl's aide, Sam's gaze trained on him as the boy shot out several ectoblasts, dissipating the ghoulish creatures easily.

"Thank you, Ghost Boy, I love you!"

Paulina called out after him while waving her hands, and even from their height Sam could see the dorky smile Danny wore.

"How come he always gets the girls?"

Tucker commented, crossing his arms over his chest and looking up at Sam.

"Being half dead is super attractive now, haven't you heard?

She scoffed, feeling the bats suddenly beginning to rise higher into the air.

"Where are you taking us?"

Tucker demanded, swatting up at the creatures.

"Have you ever known them to respond?"

Sam shouted, fear gripping her chest as she cupped her hands around her mouth, the claws digging deeper into her arm.

"Danny!"

She yelled again, catching the attention of the white haired boy. His brow was creased, worry written across his features as another scream forced his gaze away.

"You don't think they'll actually kill us, do you?" Tucker asked, wide teal eyes staring up at Sam as they flew through the air and away from the school. "I mean, we're great hostages! We're knowledgeable, and funny!"

"You only need one hostage, Tucker."

She said quietly, biting back a groan as the ghost shifted its hold on her arm.

"Right.. You kinda suck at the reassurance thing you know?"

"I'm a bit preoccupied!"

She grumbled, reaching into her pockets to look for something to use to hit the bats with.

"Sam!"

Jerking her head up, she followed Tuckers waving hand as another blast lit up the darkened sky and Lydia soared past them, a hand wrapped tightly around her side. Despite the way she attempted to cover it, Sam could see the chunk taken out of her radiating skin, a sure sign Danny's attack had struck as intended. Ectoplasm oozed past her fingertips, leaving a trail dripping behind as the bats picked up their speed to follow after their owner.

"Hold on!"

Sam hollered, her hand reaching up and grabbing tightly to the claws latched onto her.

"To what?"

Tucker shrieked behind her. Yeah, they made _great_ hostages. Wind ripped past her face, as she tightened her hold on the bats leg. It kicked furiously at her, its claws striking at her head in an attempt to make her let go and instead catching her hair tie and wrenching it free.

She struggled to keep hold until seconds later the bat let go altogether and she was falling, a scream leaving her lips as Tucker's sounded off as well. Before they could hit the ground, the ghosts were beneath them, catching them with their wings and wrapping around their bodies, sending the two into a heap on the ground with their arms wrapped tightly behind their back and completely useless.

"Well, well, enjoying your summer, yet?"

Sitting up, Sam blew the messy strands of hair out of her face with an annoyed puff while violet hues landed on the small, ghoulish man that stood before them with a taunting smile.

"Freakshow."

She spit, pushing herself to her knees.

"In the anemic flesh." He crooned, his arms out at his sides as her line of sight drifted to the strange sleeve of metal he wore. "Do you like it?" He asked, holding his arm out to her as a dark gleam passed through his eyes. "It's the Reality Gauntlet, my newest toy."

"Like I care."

She shot back as Tucker sat up beside her, a dazed expression on his face.

"Oh, you'll care."

The man promised, lips the color of blood curling over in a snarl as he turned away. Sam cranes her neck, scanning the tracks that lay on the outskirts of town.

"Wanting a more private defeat?"

She called out, catching Tucker's wide eyed gaze. He knew how much Freakshow, well, freaked her out. Ever since she'd seen Danny being controlled like that, she had never wanted to talk about him again, let alone think about him. But she needed to buy time until Danny showed up, distract him from whatever it was he was planning and maybe even give Danny the element of surprise.

"You're quite a mouthy little brat, aren't you?" He growled, walking closer to the tied up girl, a malicious sneer shot right at her. "But don't worry, I know just how to shut you up."

Raising his hand, Sam leaned away, her shoulder pressing against Tucker's as an ectoblast shot past her and sent Freakshow flying back, crashing into the ground.

"Back off, Freakshow!"

Looking up, Sam let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. At least he managed to show up on time for some things. Pulling himself back to his feet and brushing off his coat, the red eyed imp glared up at the ghost boy.

"You remembered me, how flattering." He smiled, his fists clenching as he rolled his head slowly, letting his gaze drift past the two captured teens before returning to Danny, his body suddenly seeming jittery. "I certainly remembered you. All those nights, bound and locked up, like I was nothing more than an animal!"

What semblance of calm the man had possessed previously was entirely gone now, spittle flying from his mouth as he screamed the words.

"Geez, how inconvenient to be forced into something you don't want. Oh wait, I know just what that's like!"

Danny fired back, obviously still miffed over their last encounter.

"Enough of this!"

Freakshow barked, lifting his hand as a red gem shined brightly from his gauntlet. A burst of energy shot from his hand as Danny flew higher to dodge the attack, looking down at the chained fence below him that instead took the blast. It shuddered and quaked, an eerie crimson glow surrounding each link and every post as it ripped free from the ground.

"What?"

Danny gaped, attempting to fly higher as one side shot up and wrapped around his ankle, dragging the halfa back to the ground. Sam could only watch as the fence wrapped tightly around him in a matter of seconds, a cry of pain ripped from his lungs as it crashed to the ground with the boy in tow. Struggling against her bindings, Sam tried to get to him only to have herself drug back to the ground, the ghostly confines suddenly a heavy weight against her small frame.

"What do you think? Is it too _flashy_?" Freakshow grinned, a purely ecstatic expression on his face as he watched the halfa strain against the lively fence. "The Reality Gauntlet is even more powerful now that I have unlocked the power of the gem of form!"

He cackled, a bright golden glow radiating from the gauntlet as he thrust his arm towards two large oil trucks, the vehicles shuddering and clanging noisily. The trio looked on as the trucks rose in the air, the axels breaking free and the tires rotating, clashing together and forming two massive robots, each with torn metal fangs protruding from large gaping mouths as their eyes gleamed a murky yellow.

Sam's entire body felt frozen, staring in horror at the creation that had just been built in front of her eyes. She shifted her gaze to Danny, her heart wrenching at the petrified gaze in his glowing green hues.

He began struggling harder against his makeshift prison, Tucker and Sam doing the same as a crow let out an angry sounding squawk above them.

As it made its way through the sky, the dark colored bird cawed again, flying straight between the two machines, neither of which budged a single inch. The ghastly man seemed confused, staring down at the gauntlet in a curious manner. Sam turned back toward Danny, smiling when she saw him finally break free from the fence.

His suit was torn in multiple places, green ectoplasm dripping from the various lacerations marring his skin. Most were small, barely even noticeable from where he hovered. But across his stomach was a large gash, the flesh ripped open and allowing the glowing blood to drip down his sides.

The boy grabbed ahold of his shoulder, tending another deeper cut as he launched himself up, hovering right next to one of the machines. Reaching a white gloved hand out, he knocked twice on the nearest machines head, a dull echo inside rippling through its frame

"What's it gonna do, rust on me?"

He mocked, a smug grin on his face as he sent a reassuring look his friend's way. Freakshow grimaced, clenching his fists tightly and thrusting his arm out once again, another burst of energy striking the machines, casting a red glow over them as they began grinding loudly. Danny let out a yelp, failing to move away in time.

The first machine swatted at him, catching his leg easily and ripping the suit further while knocking him off balance, the second machine lunging out and catching the edge of Danny's suit in its shredded teeth.

"Whoa!"

Danny's yell penetrated the air, his body swinging back and forth as the creature shook its large head, metal on metal scraping together. With a final swing, it released Danny from its grasp, sending the ghost boy hurtling to the ground. Sam and Tucker winced as he crashed, his body sliding several feet before stopping in an unmoving heap. Panic set in as Sam tried to lean closer only to have the bat screech a warning in her ear.

"Well that's odd," Freakshow murmured, looking at his gauntlet in confusion. "It appears I must work on things, I specifically told them to eat you." He stated, his head tilting a fraction as he studied his device. "No matter, I suppose it worked all the same."

Dropping his hand, he began marching towards Danny who was sitting up slowly, his face covered in cuts that made his skin appear to glow from the neon blood.

"Freeze, freaks!"

A booming voice commanded, all attention being forced onto a jeep speeding down the road in their direction. Two men adorned in white suits made their way towards Freakshow and Danny, and Sam swallowed the urge to shout out to them. Of _course_ the Guys In White had to show up. Wasn't Freakshow in their custody originally? Lot of good they were.

"Freeze? Well, if you say so!"

Freakshow cackled, thrusting his arm up towards the sky, the form gem activating once more as a cloud began to grow larger above them.

"Man, I hate the snow."

Tucker grumbled, staring up at the sky warily as Sam looked towards Danny.

"I think that's the least of our troubles, look!"

Danny was sitting on his knees, his body wavering as blood dripped from his mouth and down the nape of his neck, a patch of green ectoplasm staining a portion of his snow colored hair.

"Ah, man, Danny doesn't look too good."

Tucker frowned, struggling again as the air grew chilled. The cloud expanded rapidly, pieces of it extending outwards and creating curled appendages. Coal black eyes formed at the front of the cloud as a frigid wind swept through the area.

"We've gotta help him, Tucker!"

"How? We can't even help ourselves!"

Their words are drowned out as the frozen mass of snow shaped suspiciously like Frosty fell to the earth, immediately burying not only the Guys In White, but the two monstrosities Freakshow had created earlier.

"Now then, where were we?" Striding back over to the ghost boy, Freakshow yanked him up, a pale hand wrapped tightly around the front of his ragged suit. "I am going to ruin your life, just like you ruined mine."

He hissed, pulling his arm back to strike the boy.

"Yeah? I'd like to see you try." Pushing his hand up, an ectoplasmic shot fired into Freakshow's chest, sending him careening off as Danny pushed himself up, staggering as he did. "You guys okay?"

He called out, head swiveling to find them.

"Never better." Tucker remarked dryly, trying to move away from the snow inch by inch. "Should've worn a coat today.."

"Danny, watch out!"

Sam shouted as Lydia flew towards the boy, her hand outstretched and summoning a snake from off her leg. It pulled itself away with another portion of her flesh and began to grow in size, and Sam could visibly see Danny's shoulders slouch. He had to be exhausted at this point, but when would it all end? Another blast of ectoplasm sent the snake reeling backwards as the boy folded his arms over his chest.

"That the best you got?"

He taunted the ghost woman, blood red orbs narrowing.

"Lydia!" Freakshow commanded, thrusting his gauntlet forwards as a train car screeched along the tracks towards them. "It seems that I need a bigger audience for what's to come." He proclaimed, jumping up onto the platform with Lydia close behind. Giving a turn of her hand, the bats released the two teenagers and began shrinking down, returning to their place on the woman's thighs. "I'll see you soon, ghost child."

He warned, his hands clamping over the railing and allowing a wave of scarlet energy to surround the train as it raced off down the tracks.

"I'll be waiting!"

Danny called after him, a scowl carved into his face as Sam and Tucker approached him.

"Shouldn't we go after him?"

Tucker questioned, his arms wrapped tightly around himself to fend off the cold. Danny looked over at the mountain of snow where the two government men were in the process of digging themselves free and only shook his head.

"Let the jerksicles handle him, I'm on vacation."

"But-"

"Vacation, Tuck."

He repeated firmly, his tone laced with exhaustion. Walking closer to his two friends, the boy wrapped an arm around each of their waists and held onto them tightly. Sam felt her feet leaving the ground and let her gaze shift to the halfa as he began flying them home.

He watched the skies above them intently, the light slowly beginning to filter back into the world now that Lydia's influence was gone. He looked solemn, with green blood drying against his cheek.

Biting down on her lip, the girl remained silent as the threat Freakshow made weighed heavily in her mind.

In a matter of minutes he is turning the three of them intangible, slipping through the roof of the Manson home and depositing all of them in her bedroom. As soon as their feet hit the floor, Danny's hands fell away, the boy's body collapsing to the ground as he transformed, shuddering forward and sinking his fingers into her carpet.

"Danny!"

Sam's at his side in a moment, her hands grasping his shoulders and holding him up, concerned violet hues looking him over.

"Tucker-"

"First aid kit, on it."

He's calling from her bathroom, returning a moment later with a large white box in his hands.

"I'm alright, Sam."

Danny muttered, weary blue eyes smiling at her in a way that makes her heart beat just a little bit faster in her chest.

"You're not fine; you're bleeding all over my bedroom. And believe me when I say red does _not_ go with my color scheme."

"Sorry."

He mumbled, sitting up carefully as Tucker sank down beside the two of them.

"Man, you took a beating today."

"Why is he back? Can't one of the _multiple_ ghost hunters we have in this town actually do their job correctly for once?"

Sam grumbled, trying to decide what to take care of first. There was barely any skin on Danny that wasn't covered in either blood or dirt, and trying to figure out the worst ones was a challenge she hadn't expected. Shifting where he sat, Danny grasped at the edge of his shirt, pulling it up to give them access to the gaping wound cutting across his stomach.

"I just want to forget about ghosts for right now. As soon as we're on the road, they're somebody else's problem for a while."

He grumbled, wincing as he leaned back to let them help. Grabbing a cloth and dumping water over it, Sam shifted forwards, cleaning away the mixture of blood, dirt, and ectoplasm along his abdomen, keeping her eyes focused on a job she was all too familiar with.

"You're not worried about leaving even a little?"

"Sam, I haven't had a break in ages. Hell, I can't even remember the last full night of sleep I got."

He complained, the quiet curse making her look up. He'd pushed back against the footboard of her bed, his head leaned back and his eyes closed tightly, trying to remain still through the pain.

"Guess that's true, they seem to be giving you a harder time recently."

Tucker agreed, cleaning the blood away from the cut on his shoulder. Digging around for a pad of gauze, Sam debated her next statement.

"You've been taking too many risks, too." Sam finally mused quietly, placing a section of the material over the cut and taping it down. When he doesn't respond right away, she looked up to find Danny staring at her with his eyes half lidded. "What? I just think you take too many risks. Sometimes you get cocky and sort of.."

"Make them angrier."

Tucker chimed in, wrapping the cut on the boys arm with perfect precision. They'd both learned quite a lot about first aide over the past year, and with as many times as Danny was injured, at least he bounced back quickly.

"I do not!"

The boy sputtered defensively, moving to sit up and stifling a groan.

"Danny, look at yourself! Those bruises? They're too old to be just from Freakshow."

"What are you saying?"

He demanded, shrugging them off with a scowl.

"I just think you could stand to be a little more careful."

She stated, folding her arms over her chest and glaring at him.

"You sound like Jazz." He spit out, turning his head away and grabbing the roll of gauze from the box. "Thanks for the help."

Standing up and stalking stiffly to her bathroom, he refused to look at either one of them as he closed the door with a sharp _'click'_.

"Why is he so stubborn?"

Sam groaned, falling back onto her floor with a heavy sigh.

"Wouldn't you be too? You know how hard he's been working lately, maybe he acts a little reckless sometimes, but I don't really blame him."

Tucker said slowly, staring at her with a pointed gaze.

"I don't want you to be reasonable right now."

"You really gonna make _me_ be the one to go talk to him?"

He asked, arching a brow at her as she finally sat up, shooting him a dirty look.

"Shut up."

She muttered, pushing herself up and marching toward the bathroom, her carpet masking the heavy stomps of her combat boots. She doesn't bother knocking, instead pushing open the door and slipping inside.

Danny stood in front of the mirror, his shirt hanging over the side of the sink beside him as he tried wrapping the gauze around his chest, his breath shuddering with each movement. Sam stared for a moment, blinking quickly before walking closer.

"Stop. Let me."

She murmured, her hands easing the roll from his. He refused to look at her, instead taking a sudden interest in the tiled floor of her bathroom as she leaned closer, her forehead nearly touching his chest.

"You lost your hair tie."

He observed, his head moving to look behind her as she shrugged lightly.

"Yeah, it came out when those bat things were carrying us."

Holding the end of the gauze, she secured it firmly and checked over her work.

"I never see your hair all the way down, it looks good." He spoke, shifting to lean back against the sink as Sam pulled away, crossing her arms and leaning against the wall. "I'm sorry.."

He finally apologized, his eyes flickering to hers before drifting down again.

"You do what you have to do, I know." She couldn't stand staring at his guilty expression. "Is your head still bleeding?"

Looking up, Danny's hand flew to his head, brushing through his hair and wincing, pulling his fingers away and staring at them dotted with the strange mixture of his blood.

"I hadn't even noticed."

He smiled sheepishly as Sam motioned toward the edge of her tub.

"Sit there."

She instructed, rooting through her drawers for another towel. Running it under warm water, she walked closer and hovered over him, turning his head to get a better look.

"When do you think Freakshow will show up again?"

He questioned, trying to change the subject as she worked, her fingers pushing his hair aside gently to find the cut.

"Not sure. He said a bigger audience, but who knows what he meant by that?"

"Leave it to him to attack on the last day of school. Why couldn't he have attacked earlier in the day? Could've gotten me out of class."

The boy pouted as Sam smirked, finding the injured area and beginning to clean it, feeling him jerk briefly at the touch.

"Because ghosts aren't that considerate. Besides, you're telling me you would've missed the crazy mess at lunch?"

That got him to laugh, the tension easing from his body as she propped her knee beside him on the lip of the tub, leaning closer to work.

"No, that was pretty great. Any clue who might've done it?"

"Hmm, someone who hates cheerleaders, has access to both super glue, and their pompoms, and has the mind of an evil genius."

A devious grin broke out on the girls face as Danny turned, wide eyes staring at her in awe.

"Did you really?"

"No!" She laughed, forcing his head back around. "But I almost wish I had. Their faces when it was all just one big lump? That was great."

"You never wanted to be a cheerleader?"

He teased, turning to look at her once again as she shot him a death glare.

"Utter those words in my home again and you won't have to worry about Freakshow."

"What if they wore all black, and instead of cheers, they recited deep poetry?"

"You're hilarious, Danny."

She rolled her eyes, pulling away and grabbing his shirt, throwing it at his face. The boy caught it easily, sitting up a little straighter, already looking better than when they'd first gotten to her home.

"Thanks for patching me up."

"What are friends for?"

She shrugged, watching as he tugged the shirt on, the fabric ruffling his hair and making it more of a mess than it already was. Turning around and cleaning the blood from her hands, she felt his fingers drifting over her arm as a shudder ran through her, violet eyes looking up at where Danny stood close to her. He leaned his head down, eyes squinting at her arm as she felt his hair brush up against her skin.

"Uh, Danny? Are you okay?"

"You're bleeding."

"What?" Jerking her arm away, she looked down at the puncture wounds the ghost bat had left on her skin, dried blood around the edges having gone unnoticed in the commotion. "It's nothing, I'm fine." She promised, catching his worried and guilt fueled gaze still staring. She knew he hated when they were hurt, and he always blamed himself, something _she_ hated. "Earth to Danny, hey, I said I was fine."

She reassured him, grabbing his wrist and tugging him to the door. Walking out of the bathroom, Sam spotted Tucker on her computer, a game pulled up on the screen as he heard them walk out and glanced over his shoulder.

"Everything good?"

"Who said you could get on my computer?"

She frowned as Danny laughed.

"As good as it can get."

Danny quipped, falling onto Sam's bed with a sigh, though she could still feel his eyes on her. Normally she wouldn't mind but this was different, she didn't want him feeling guilty over something he couldn't control.

"Do you guys realize that in twenty four hours, we're going to be on the road?"

He asked, turning his head as his hands rested carefully over his stomach.

"In a cramped van decked out with crazy ghost hunting equipment with your folks and Jazz."

Tucker reminded him, pausing the game and swiveling in Sam's chair.

"That's a definite downside."

Sam grimaced, sitting on the edge of her bed as the boys grinned at one another.

"Yeah, but think about the late nights and the relaxation."

Danny sighed.

"Traveling the country."

Tucker added, both boys looking at Sam as she rolled her eyes, falling back onto the bed herself and pumping her fists in the air.

"And Gothapalooza!"

* * *

**A/N**

**Okay, in all honesty, this chapter was supposed to end way differently.. Drama and angst and some other stuff.. And then the bathroom scene happened and I accidently wrote a ton of fluff and here we are. I got kinda carried away so I hope I still managed to stay in character with them. We'll have a more dramatic chapter next time, I promise.**

**Everyone's reviews have been so kind and I love you all for them. It means the absolute world knowing you guys are loving the story this much. I am always open to suggestions and ideas, as well as any advice you want to share. Hope you guys enjoy this one!**


	4. 4 - Tucker

The sound of music blared through the speakers, techno blasting in an attempt to get the crowd pumped before the concert began. As the trio walked up the bleachers and found their seats, squeezing past other students, Tucker leaned around and glanced at Danny for what seemed like the millionth time since leaving Sam's house.

In just a couple of hours, the damage he'd received from the fight was now almost nonexistent, with the exception of a couple of the deeper wounds that had been reverted to the equivalent of a bad paper cut. And he seemed happier too, more relaxed. Which was great, really. But Tucker wished he would take Freakshow's threat at least a little more seriously.

After all, had they ever known one of his enemies to just give up after something like that? And it wasn't like they could count on the Guys In White to step up and actually do their job.

Turning his direction to the stage, he stared at the curtains that were still drawn, keeping their view limited as the musicians prepared behind the scenes. As much as the school years tended to suck, the concerts they threw were always killer. A few of the students near the front were already chanting the band's name over and over, like the mantra would make them appear sooner.

"Check it out." Sam's voice drew his thoughts away, leaning closer as she showed him the book she'd been carrying earlier. "I knew that Gauntlet looked familiar, here it is!"

Spread across two pages, a detailed drawing of the Gauntlet and the gems that went with it were displayed with a lengthy description underneath.

"Does it explain how Freakshow got his hands on it?"

Tucker asked, his shoulder pressing into the girl's as his eyes scanned over the pages.

"No, but I get the feeling the Guys In White are responsible for more than just his escape."

Sam grumbled, flipping the page over and pointing at another picture.

"Look, it says here that the Gauntlet is controlled by four gems, each one with a different ability. When pushed in the right order, they allow the one wearing the Gauntlet the ability to control all of reality. And look, it says something here about a defense mechanism that protects the gems, a form of telepathy. You can hide a gem just by touching it and willing for it to vanish. Cool."

"Guys, come on! It's summer, remember? As in no more pencils, no more books?"

Danny complained, looking over at his two friends with an annoyed stare.

"You're not at least a little bit concerned by all of this?"

The books was lying out flat against Sam's lap, her words drawing a frown that Tucker had seen enough times to know it meant Danny's stubbornness was beginning to work against them.

"Frankly, no. Tomorrow we are out of Amity Park, and someone else gets to deal with all of this. It's my vacation, I don't want to deal with some creep who actually thinks he can control reality." Raising his hands in the air and stretching, Danny gave a lopsided smile. "Now can't we just enjoy the concert, we've never seen Dumpty Humpty live."

"Danny-"

Sam tried again, being shushed immediately by stern blue eyes.

"Sam, summer vacation, no more books."

"You might wanna take a look at this book, especially the author."

Tucker pushed, pulling it away from Sam and handing it to the halfa. Taking it begrudgingly, Danny smoothed the page and stared in exaggerated boredom at the words.

"Frederich Isak Showenhower. Okay, dude has a lame name, so what?"

"Oh, give me that."

Sam sighed, reaching over and grabbing one of the pages, folding it partially over itself and aligning the letters of the authors name carefully.

"Freakshow."

Danny whispered, the new name in bold font before him as the other two nodded.

"If he's the one who wrote this, then he knows everything he needs too to use the Gauntlet at its full potential!"

Sam said in a flurry as the book was thrust back at her and Tucker could see the stubbornness setting in again.

"Well, I don't care Sam. As of right now, Freakshow is _not_ my problem."

He stated firmly, ending the conversation as he shifted in his seat and directed his gaze to the stage as the curtains began to rise and the cheering from the crowd grew louder.

"He's kidding, right? Tell me he's kidding."

The raven haired girl demanded, looking over at Tucker who merely shrugged.

"I don't think we'll get much out of him right now. We'll try again later."

"What, when Freakshow is right on top of us threatening the whole of reality?"

Her voice rose in pitch, but no one seemed to notice as the shouting took over the entire crowd, fists pumping in the air and excited chatter buzzing around.

"Oh man, I love this part!" Danny yelled over the other voices, a wide grin on his face as he leaned forward. "This is where the band comes out of a giant egg!"

The other two turned towards the stage themselves, Sam's arms wrapped tightly around the book as Tucker pulled out his PDA, making a note about the Gauntlet.

"Dumpty Humpty! Dumpty Humpty! Dumpty Humpty!"

The chanting grew louder as the egg started to tremble, the crowd beginning to stomp their feet to the rhythm of the music. The sound of a crack echoed past the stage as the egg turned and the cheering died down, replaced with gasps of horror.

Rather than it being a prop that allowed the band to pop out, a disgusting face appeared on the massive egg instead. The entire shell glowed a crimson red, its hungry eyes taking in the crowd as the middle split open, revealing daggered teeth drenched in ectoplasm. Screams resonated throughout the crowd as the mouth opened wider, letting out a monstrous roar as the band could be seen floating inside a pool of ectogoo.

"Are you kids ready to have a great summer?"

A voice boomed through the speakers, two spotlights moving to center stage as Freakshow strode into the limelight, a low sweeping bow given towards the audience.

"I'm really starting to hate this guy."

Tucker complained, grimacing at the cadaverous man as the air grew still and cold. A shadow swept over them and a firm hand grabbed ahold of Tucker's shirt collar, pulling him up and away from the bleachers with Sam in the ghost's other hand, carrying both of them to the stage.

"Will this vacation ever begin?"

He could hear Danny complain as he twisted in the ghost's grasp, hands grappling at her arm as Lydia lowered them to the stage, keeping an iron grip on the both of them and making escape impossible.

As they faced towards the audience, Tucker could see Danny looking around for anyone watching him, though everyone's eyes were glued firmly to the stage where it was obvious the action was happening. He watched his friend slip down unnoticed between the bleachers, disappearing from sight before a light flashed underneath, a sure sign of the halfa's transformation.

"Well, now that we have our guests of honor, all we need is a captive audience!"

He cackled, thrusting his hand out as seatbelts shot up from the bleachers, wrapping tightly around each student and faculty member, holding them securely to their seats. A view of everything for everyone it seemed. As Tucker tried pulling against Lydia, the ghost tugged harder at him, an irritated expression on her glowing face that clearly said he was to stop struggling.

"You know, I kinda dig the spikes."

He let out a nervous chuckle, hearing Sam groan next to him.

"Shows over Freakshow!"

Danny yelled, moving in fast.

"Is it? I thought it had just begun!"

As Danny flew closer at a breathtaking speed, Freakshow threw out his fist, the metal gauntlet connecting with Danny's chin and sending the halfa flying back the way he'd come. Tucker winced, watching as his friend crashed into the crowd, several people gasping as he sat up and shook his head, snow white hair falling into irritated eyes.

"Time for the second act!"

Freakshow laughed, turning around and pointing his finger at the drum set. A golden glow washed over it, morphing the pieces together and extending the wooden sticks while sharp spikes protruded from the metal rods. The yellow gleam turned into a scarlet red as the spiderlike creature stepped forward, its spiked legs cracking the platform beneath it.

Standing up, Danny glowered at the creature before he launched himself back into the air, flying right at it. A cheer echoed from the crowd and Freakshow merely smirked, waving his hand towards the creature as if to show it off.

Shooting a blast of ectoplasm at the creature, Danny ducked away from its leg, the tip piercing a hole into the floor as it stumbled forward to regain its balance. It began moving faster, knifed points thrusting at Danny as he dodged out of the way, Freakshow's crazed laughter reverberating around them.

"Pest control isn't your specialty, is it Phantom?"

Jumping out suddenly, the spider is launching its front legs forwards, barely missing Danny's chest as the boy stumbled backwards, back hitting the stage hard as he scrambled out of the way. Pushing himself up, students cheered for his victory, the shouts distracting him briefly from the fight as green hues darted towards the audience.

In the moment it took to look to the crowd, the spider had shot out a webbed net that grabbed ahold of the halfa and dragged him to the other end of the stage, tugging him off past it to the football goal post and securing him there.

"He can't catch a break today can he?"

Tucker muttered, his eyes darting around looking for something to fight back with while Danny struggled against the bindings, the glowing web dripping with ectoplasm.

"Any last words?" Freakshow taunted, lifting his right arm slowly and grinning at the ghost boy. "Might I suggest, 'Ah! Don't hurt me!'"

He cackled, the Gauntlet humming with power.

"We've gotta help him!"

Sam hissed, looking up at Lydia who was watching the show as intently as everyone else. Tucker nodded in understanding, an idea hitting him as he began reaching his arm up, grabbing ahold of the ghost's hood and pulling it forwards over her head to cover her eyes.

The fabric caught on the spikes protruding from her head as Tucker tugged it down over her face with all the force he could muster. The ghost's hands immediately let go to uncover her eyes, and Sam gave a hard jab to her chest with her elbow, making her stumble back. Shoving his hands into her shoulders, Tucker sent her flailing off the stage, her scream distracting Freakshow from Danny momentarily.

"Leave him alone!"

Sam yelled, running towards Freakshow and hurling her book at him. Tucker had to hand it to her, she was brave as hell and she really had good aim. The book hit Freakshow square in the face, sending the man stumbling backwards as the action elicited another bout of cheering from the crowd. Grabbing the fallen book and looking at the open page, a repulsive smile crossed over the man's features.

"I see we have similar taste in authors."

The man crooned, showing off unnaturally whitened teeth as he raised his arm. Before he could attack her, she was yelling, jumping forward and grabbing ahold of the gauntlet, obviously catching the demented man off guard.

"What are you doing you little brat, let go!"

He growled, shaking his arm furiously as she struggled to keep her grasp on it. Tucker didn't hesitate to run after them, throwing his own meager weight on the Gauntlet as well, arms wrapping tightly around and grasping ahold of a gem, trying to pry it free.

"This is not part of the act, let go or I'll feed you to the egg!"

"Oh yeah? Try it _Creepshow_."

Tucker shot back, a scowl sent in his direction as Danny finally broke himself free, speeding over to his friends aid. Following their move, he latched onto the Gauntlet himself as Freakshow howled in rage.

"You nasty little children, let go!"

His Gauntlet began to glow as his body surged into the air, hovering far above the stage below them. With a snarl he threw his arm up, a blast of energy sending all three of them flying into the sky.

A scream rippled simultaneously out of the trio, flailing limbs smacking into one another as they fell back towards the ground, their hands reaching out for the Gauntlet. As they scrambled to grab hold of the metal arm, their hands brushed over the different stones, each color in turn glowing a little brighter as Freakshow's eyes widened.

"You've done it, you've figured out the combination of the gems. I now have control over all reality!"

He cackled as the friends exchanged a wary glance, Sam's arms wrapping tighter around the Gauntlet.

"Guess again, Cueball. As long as we're touching the gauntlet, we have just as much control as you do!"

"Let go!"

The man snapped, throwing the group into the air once more only to have them dangle again from his arm. Tucker strained to keep his grasp, trying futilely to pry one of the gems from their place with his shaking fingers.

"Guys! Remember the defense mechanism! Think of somewhere to hide the gem you're holding!"

Sam rushed out, closing her eyes tightly as Freakshow waved his arm around, doing his best to get them off of him.

"Stop it, what do you think you're doing?"

He demanded as Tucker closed his eyes as well, playing the image of one place over and over again in his head, the one place he'd love to be right now. Though frankly, just about anywhere beat dangling from the creepmasters arm at that moment.

As the image and the name run through his mind on a loop, the gem he'd been trying to pry out just seconds earlier disappeared from beneath his palm, Tucker's eyes ripping open to see that it was in fact gone.

"No, what have you foolish kids done?"

Freakshow roared, flinging his arm once more and sending them hurtling to the stage. In a crash that sent scraps of wood flying, Tucker sat up with a groan, a hand raised to his head and resting on his red beret.

"You alright?"

He murmured, looking over at the Goth girl as she sat up slowly herself, blinking a couple of times.

"I'm fine. Where's Danny?"

Looking up, their fight was still underway; punches exchanged by both parties that lit up the sky in flashes of neon green. The blinding color stopped abruptly before an explosion above had ectofire shooting out in all directions, the two shielding themselves with their arms as another loud crash behind them revealed a furious Freakshow, his body trembling with anger.

"The gems are gone!" He growled, a spiteful gaze shot towards the two as they stood brushing splintered wood off of their clothes. "Lydia!" He demanded, the ghost flying to his aid immediately. "Take us away from here! Dramatically!"

He commanded, crimson red hues locked hatefully on the kids as a mass of swirling ectoenergy surrounded the two of them, Lydia and Freakshow disappearing from within it moments later.

"You gotta admit, the guy has style."

Tucker shrugged, feeling Sam's hand on his arm.

"But where's-"

Her words were cut off by the sound of more splintering wood as Danny plummeted to the stage, falling directly in front of the stationary drum kit that had since returned to normal, the halfa groaning quietly in a collapsed heap.

His body was trembling, green blood dripping from his mouth as his head lifted slowly, glancing at his friends. Neither of them moved as he pushed himself to his knees with trembling arms, stifling another groan as he forced himself to stand.

He wavered in his place, dazed green eyes unable to focus as he stared at them as the ring of light appeared around his midsection and traveled up and down, transforming the phantom back into his human half against his control.

Tucker wondered briefly if he should try to shield him but the crowd had a perfect view and the mass sound of gasping behind him told him it was already too late to do anything.

No one moved even an inch, but Tucker could see the boys bright blue eyes darting around as he came to his senses, looking from the crowd, to his friends, and up into the sky where the Amity Park news chopper hovered, having been capturing all the action from the fight.

His body still trembled, a mixture of red and green blood now spilling past his lips and trailing down his left arm as the boys mouth opened, though no words came out. He blinked a couple of times, scared, pleading eyes looking to his friends as his voice finally reappeared, a trembling warble to its words.

"Uhm, no one saw that, right?"

* * *

**A/N**

**Because someone asked, I thought I would let you guys know that I do fully plan on have chapters with Jazz, Maddie, and Jack's POV's in them. I'm also toying with the idea of another bonus chapter with a closer look at the Guys In White, and what they're doing during all of this too.**

**Sorry this chapter took a little longer than the others and is a bit shorter, we had some medical issues with my grandmother, but she's doing a lot better now! I hope you all enjoyed this one, and any and all thoughts, questions, ideas, or criticism is greatly appreciated!**


	5. 5 - Jazz

'_Ghost envy can be shown in many facets of life, yet many believe that ghost envy can really only be called as such when in its most extreme state. The majority land in-'_

"Maddie! Have you seen the Fenton Bazooka?"

'_-the subgroup of this majority is also commonly referred to as-'_

"Did you check in the cupboard, Jack?"

'_-forwards. The next subgroup is rarely discussed, very few fitting enough of the descriptions to even-'_

"Of course I checked the cupboard! And the closet, and the chest!"

'_-while most are fascinated with this group because of their innate desire to be-'_

"Check in the pantry, dear!"

Slamming her book shut, Jazz glared at her father rummaging through the kitchen, pulling free the utensil drawer and riffling through it. How was it possible for them to _always_ make so much noise? And why didn't the neighbors ever complain?

"I just wanted normal parents, was that so much to ask for?"

She grumbled, her head dropping onto the top of her book.

"Jack, dear, I said to look in the pantry, you know the Fenton Bazooka won't fit in those drawers."

"No, but I found this!"

Tilting her head up to look at her parents standing on the other side of the table, Jazz stared blankly at the Fenton Finder, its radar blinking slowly.

"Oh! How did that get there?"

Maddie grabbed it excitedly, flipping it over in her hands. Jazz propped her elbows on the table with her chin resting in her hands. Danny must've hidden it there a while ago, not a bad spot really, given her parents rarely got in those drawers.

"Let's take it with us!"

Taking the device from his wife, Jack shoved it inside a suitcase already overflowing with various Fenton ghost hunting equipment.

"Do we really need to take all of this with us?"

Jazz complained, staring over at the suitcase with dismay. If they took the Fenton Finder, it would go off constantly with Danny nearby. Maybe she could hide it again when her parents weren't looking, or toss it out the window while they were driving.

"We can't take the chance of any ghosts trying to follow us, dear."

Her mother smiled, as if she should already know that it was a possibility.

"Shouldn't you be packing too, Jazzy pants?"

Jack boomed, a wide grin on his face as the girl rolled her eyes, resting her arms flat on the table and forcing a calm and reasonable tone.

"I can't go on this trip with you guys, I have to work on my thesis about ghost envy for school."

"You can't stay here alone! Not with all the ghosts around!"

Jack exclaimed, his smile fading as she sighed. Getting through to her parents was like trying to get through a brick wall with a plastic spoon; pointless and frustrating.

"But dad, this is really important for my future! I can't give a subpar thesis and blame it on the fact that I went on a family road trip."

"Sorry, sweetie. You're just going to have to work on it on the road."

Her mom pressed a kiss to the top of her head, the teenager slumping back in her chair and folding her arms across her chest with a frown. Great. While Danny and his friends toured around to see the world's largest ball of string, she would be filling out an application for Nasty Burger. Did her parents not care about her future at all?

"Maddie, have you seen the TV remote?"

Jack's voice shouted as her mother pulled away and walked into the next room while calling over her shoulder.

"Check the weapons drawer, dear!"

Scowling, Jazz clamped her hands over her ears and squeezed her eyes shut. This would be her life the next month and a half. Her parents had no concept of quiet or indoor voices.

"Ghost!"

Jerking her head up, Jazz stared wide eyed at her father, before she followed his gaze to the television set, the grainy picture showing a glowing woman covered in tattoos, her eyes fiery orbs burning with hatred.

"Ghost? Where?"

Maddie yelled, running back into the room, an open bag dangling from her hand.

"Turn it up!"

"You have the remote, Jack."

The volume rose on the TV, a sudden flurry of motion as her mother sat on the table and her father leaned heavily against it, the sudden jostling weight sending her papers fluttering to the floor. Grumbling to herself, Jazz knelt down, gathering her research as the voice from the reporter drifted around the kitchen.

"It's ghost based chaos here at the Casper High school's out concert where notorious ghost kid Danny Phantom is fighting for his after life!"

Jolting, Jazz crawled out on her hands and knees from underneath the table, tilting her head to look up at the TV as a picture of her little brother popped up on the screen, a determined look on his face as he stared at some unseen foe.

It was still strange to her, seeing his face with those glowing eyes and pale white hair, but it wasn't as if he were vastly different. How her parents had yet to connect the dots was still amazing to her. He still acted the same, and he had the same voice and body type as his human half. Their parents were beyond dense though it seemed.

Standing up and snatching her phone from off the table, Jazz checked her messages only to have an empty inbox stare back at her. Punching in a number, she pressed the phone to her ear and listened as it rattled off to voicemail before she tried another. Neither Tucker nor Sam was picking up, that wasn't a good sign.

The sound of the television turned up, and she looked over to see her little brother flying backwards into the crowd before he pushed himself up and glared angrily at an enemy she still hadn't been able to see.

"Not very good, is he?"

Maddie scoffed, crossing her arms as she watched it with no more care than a pointless soap opera. Would she feel differently if she knew that was her own son being beaten up out there?

"I could do better with my hands tied behind my back!"

Jack boasted, and Jazz had to work to keep her laugh silent. Her father couldn't even catch the ghost that was living with him; or the one he claimed was his best friend. Had he even captured a single ghost in his entire life? She doubted it.

"Well, that's certainly something new."

Maddie mused, and Jazz turned back to the screen. The drum set had been transformed into some type of strange spiderlike creature, its legs twisting towards the ghost boy at a rapid speed. Clutching her phone to her chest, she forced a calming breath. He would be fine. He did this all the time. He always came home in one piece. He'd be fine. Right?

Biting down on her lip, she exhaled through her nose, glancing uselessly at her phone again. No doubt Sam and Tucker were too busy to call her; they might even be in the midst of it all. Not that it really mattered, she could see what was happening to Danny in real time, only here she was of no help.

But no way were her parents letting her go there when ghosts were around. But that was her little brother out there, fighting who knew what. She was proud of him, beyond proud actually. Everything he did, he really was so selfless. But he also felt the weight of the world on his shoulders and didn't know when to back down from a fight he couldn't win.

She still remembered all those afternoons when he was younger and first learning how to ride a bike. He was so determined; he wouldn't give up even with as many times as he fell and scraped his knees. She'd spent countless days cleaning blood off his scratched up knees and elbows. She'd always ask if he wanted to do something else, but out he would go, back on that bike.

He learned eventually, but he'd paid a price for it. She was fairly certain he still had a scar on his knee. But he was still the same. Fighting again and again, refusing to give up even when he was outmatched. Only now more was at stake than just a couple of scrapes and bruises. These ghosts, some of them actually wanted to kill him. They wanted to destroy him, no care at all about the fact that he was still just a kid who was trying to save the people and the town that he cared about.

She knew Danny tried to hide the worst of it from her, but she wasn't stupid. She saw the way he walked sometimes, limping or favoring his side. She noticed the depleting first aid items, and the way they always seemed to be out of pain medication. Jazz didn't blame him, how could she? But she wished he would try to be more careful, and not be quite so stubborn. She wasn't sure what she would do if-

"Yes! Get him!"

Jack's cheering dragged the girl back to reality, blue eyes drifting back to the TV, her mouth dropping open at the sight of Danny trapped in a net, struggling to free himself. The camera was zoomed in and she could see the anger in his green eyes, how tense his body was. Something had made him furious, and as the camera turned, she could guess at what it was.

On the stage was a strange looking man, his complexion as pale as a sheet with skin stretched taut over his bones. His eyes were bloodshot; the irises a startling shade of scarlet. He didn't look like one of the traditional ghosts, though. Most of the ghosts they saw were green or blue, an aura of decay surrounding them.

But this man, he looked like he was on the edge of death, barely living yet still alive. He also wore a strange metal sleeve on his arm, with glowing spots going down the length of it, though she couldn't get that great of a view on it.

The camera watched from a distance, glancing briefly over another portion of the fight where a girl she knew had to be Sam jumped onto the metal arm and refused to let go. At least his friends always had his back. Another student did the same, surely Tucker, and the man looked furious.

But what exactly were they trying to do? Whatever it was, Danny must've thought it was a good idea, finally having broken free of the net and grabbing on with his friends. Jack grumbled about the ghost boy getting loose and how if they'd had the chance they could've taken him out right then and there.

Rolling her eyes at her parents, the tension eased in Jazz's chest. They appeared to have decent control over the situation, so there was no more need to worry.

Going back to the table and gathering the rest of her papers, she settled down and spread them out, beginning to arrange them back to the way they had been before her parents had so carelessly scattered them about.

"Aren't those Danny's friends?"

Glancing up, the question pulled her attention to the fight happening in the sky. Now closer to the news chopper, they were able to get a better picture, the group of four struggling at quite a height. Shots went off in the air, glows of yellow and red and blue simultaneously gleaming as the trio were thrown about.

"How did they get mixed up in this? And where's Danny if he's not with them?"

The worried tone is clear in the woman's voice as Jazz shook her head to herself, barely able to restrain the scoff. How was she as smart as she was, yet still so oblivious?

Hopefully the upcoming vacation would do them all some good. Some quality time with his parents might make Danny see that they'd still love him even if they knew his secret. Ease the tension and maybe convince him to finally tell them. It was getting old listening to them rattle on about dissecting their own child.

"Maddie!"

The picture on the screen went fuzzy for a moment, the air filling with what looked like dirt, before showing a picture of Sam and Tucker on the stage, both looking confused and dazed.

"I hope they're alright." Her mother murmured, pulling up her goggles to see the screen better. "Why would they get involved with such a thing?"

Abandoning her papers, Jazz inched forwards. Were they losing? Another loud crash showed off the man from earlier, a snarl on his lips as he shouted something unintelligible before the ghost with the tattoos reappeared. A swarming energy surrounded the two and in moments they've vanished entirely. But where was Danny?

"Well, that was-"

Jack began, stopping abruptly as a streak of green flew through the sky and fell in a heap to the stage. The camera was now focused solely on the ghost boy, and Jazz could feel her heart in her throat. He didn't look okay, his body unmoving for several seconds, and he did finally move she could see his unfocused eyes staring at his two friends while blood dripped down his chin.

"Guess that guy was too much for the ghost kid."

Jack laughed, making the knot in the girl's stomach tighten. Danny stood slowly, wavering on his feet. He looked ready to pass out, she had no idea how he could even be standing. The other two kept their distance, not wanting to show their closeness to him with so many people around, though it didn't seem to matter as two rings of light appeared around Danny's midsection.

"No."

Jazz murmured, taking a step closer to the television, unable to look away as the two rings traveled up and down over Danny, changing the halfa back into his human half in front of all of Amity Park.

He looked worse than he had, with red and green blood mixing as it trailed from the cut in his lip while the same mixture trickled down his arm. He was still staring at his friends, but the gasp from the crowd was audible, or maybe that was her own.

The boy's eyes darted from side to side before glancing up and making eye contact with the camera. Her parents are frozen, neither speaking as the boy looked back to his friends, the crowd deathly silent as the words he mumbled out were caught perfectly on camera.

"Uhm, nobody saw that, right?"

Rushing forwards, Jazz blocked the television with her body, her pulse quickened and her heart racing. She faced her parents, though neither seemed able to process that she had even cut off their view.

The whole town knew Danny's secret now, and she wanted to find him. He had to be freaking out, and he had looked hurt. But right now, the two people standing before her needed her attention more. As worried as she was, she knew Tucker and Sam would take care of Danny. So instead she took a step forwards, clasping her hands tightly together and mustering up a weak smile for her parents.

"You didn't see that, right?"

* * *

**A/N**

**I know this was pretty much repeating the last chapter, but I enjoyed getting to write Jazz, and her connection with Danny and how she felt about this stuff. Plus, I really wanted a cool set up for the parents later.**

**It's probably going to be a couple of weeks before I'm able to update the next few chapters, as I've been really neglecting my other fanfictions and my own novel. I promise, I'll hurry with the others and get back to the story just as fast as I can! Your reviews mean the world to me, so any feedback you'd like to give is always appreciated and welcome!**


	6. 6 - Danny

"Uhm, no one saw that, right?"

It wasn't a question, it was a plea. If he asked nicely, if he said please, if he begged, would they just forget what they saw? Would they go back to their lives, go back to wondering who the ghost boy was, and leave him to live his life? Or was such a thing too much to ask of the people of Amity Park?

Judging by the gasps that practically shook the stadium, he guessed it was. And yet as shocking as all of it was, he didn't have the energy for it to fully sink in yet. His body was barely standing and over half of it was aching with various injuries.

Maybe if he were to just close his eyes, he'd discover it was really all a dream and he wouldn't need to deal with the fallout of this mess. And maybe he might've convinced himself of such a thing, if a voice in the front row that normally grated his nerves hadn't chosen that moment to chime in.

"Danny Fenturd is Danny Phantom?"

It was the first voice to break the spell of gaping silence and in its wake several others had begun pressing in, creating a buzz that was nearly incomprehensible. His eyes moved away from Dash to a particularly beautiful raven haired girl who matched his stare with wide, gleaming eyes.

"And he's totally infatuated with me!" Paulina cried out, clasping her hands together and bouncing on her toes in excitement. "That makes things so much easier! For me!"

Standing up straighter, a sharp pain struck through his chest as the halfa resisted the urge to cater to his bruised ribcage. The last thing he needed was to be showing off any kind weakness, not with thousands of eyes on him and the weight of the camera displaying his every move to the viewers at home.

Oh God, home. His parents always left that television on in case of ghost attacks. Had they seen him? Of course they had. Oh God. He couldn't do this. What was he supposed to do now? He felt sick, he wanted to throw up and get away from all the prying eyes.

Forcing himself to swallow the metallic taste growing in his mouth, his eyes followed the trail of reddish green blood rolling down his arm from the gash in his bicep, the droplets dripping to the stage in a disturbing fashion. The need to run was near bursting inside Danny's chest as he caught Sam's eyes, worry and fear mixing into an odd expression as she nodded towards the crowds.

Large groups of kids and adults were moving in closer, gathering around the stage and chattering faster, excitement and confusion melding together and setting him further on edge. They were blocking all of his exits and he felt trapped, and he hated feeling like that. Like some caged animal waiting for the inevitable. But what was he supposed to do?

His body was exhausted, hell, he was barely even standing at this point. He wouldn't stand a chance of shoving through them all, and where would he even go? The wide open stadium wasn't known for its great hiding places, and the school wouldn't be much good either.

And the last thing he wanted was to face his parents, although he was sure that they'd be showing up any second now to confront him. Confront him, capture him, ground him, experiment on him.

At this point, he really couldn't be sure what they would do.

In less than two minutes his entire world had crashed down around his ears, and he didn't even know how he felt about it. He should've been worried, he should've been freaking out, but all he could focus on were the crowds growing closer and the dull beating of his own heart that was practically echoing in his ears.

There was another gasp and the sound of shuffling feet, and suddenly there were people climbing onto the stage itself, ripping away the last safe space the halfa had left. Kids he recognized from class, teenagers he'd seen wandering the halls; some people that he couldn't even remember ever seeing before were encroaching in on him, and all he could do was shuffle back like a coward while grimacing at the protests his body angrily shot at him.

Closer and closer they moved, like lions stalking their prey. People he'd known his whole life stared at him as if he were an alien, moving closer to gape at the new weirdest attraction Amity Park had to offer.

He almost cried in relief when he saw Sam and Tucker shoving their way through to reach him. Tucker wove his way under arms and around bodies, while Sam forcefully shoved people out of her way with both hands and a fierce scowl.

Danny backed up another step, his foot bumping into the now dormant drum kit as he realized his arm was wrapped around his chest, at some point protecting himself instinctively. Should his heart be pounding so heavily? He was scared. He'd never admit it aloud, but he was terrified. What were they going to do, mob him? Accuse him of ruining their town just as his parents had done?

Tucker's arm was pressing into him, and he realized a moment after it happened that Tucker had taken the drum kits seat and held it up in front of them, waving it towards anyone who tried to get too close.

"Back! Back you savages!"

Tucker yelled, both hands gripping the leather seat and swinging it as if attempting to tame a wild animal. His red beret was dirty and his shirt had a tear in the shoulder where Danny could see blood puckering up from the skin.

Looking to his left, Sam had grabbed a microphone by its cord, swinging it as fast as she dared and creating an effective weapon of her own in an attempt to help him. Lavender eyes caught worried blue ones and she tried to muster up a weak smile.

"Well, it could be worse?"

She offered, drawing a scowl to the ghost boy's lips.

"Yeah? How's that?"

He scoffed, wiping a hand down his arm and smearing the blood across his pale and clammy skin. Cold. He was always so cold after a transformation.

"Nobody move!"

The booming voice brought a halt to the excitement happening on the stage, heads turning to look around as Danny groaned.

"You just had to jinx it, didn't you Sam?"

He grumbled, heaving a long sigh as the mic in Sam's hands slowed to a stop. Hovering above the crowds and in front of the trio were the Guys in White, jetpacks strapped to their backs and two guns held tightly in their hands.

"They're not actually going to shoot us, are they?"

Tucker questioned, leaning back into the halfa as Danny could only shrug. This was it. He'd officially decided today was the worst day in his entire life.

"You're coming in for questioning."

One of the men proclaimed, adjusting his gun and aiming the barrel directly at Danny's chest.

"And experimenting. Lots of experimenting."

The second chimed in, his own gun finding its way to Danny's sleight frame. His body was trembling, though whether it was from pain, exhaustion, fear, or simply a mixture of them all he didn't know.

What he did know was that the Guys in White were pointing their guns at him, and in turn at his friends. He didn't care if they wanted him, but he couldn't put Tucker and Sam in harm's way. Swallowing thickly, Danny's jaw locked as he took a step forwards, both of his friends arms blocking his way.

"Danny, no."

Sam hissed, terror prominent in her eyes as she clutched the weaponized microphone. All he did was reach his hand up, realizing too late it's still smeared in his blood, and gently pushed her arm away. Taking another step forward, he shoved his fear down and displayed a cocky smirk, a trademark of Danny Phantom.

"As much as I would love to be your lab rat, I don't think it's gonna happen any time soon. Sam, Tucker, grab ahold of me. I'm going ghost!"

His two friends grabbed ahold of either arm, the stool dropping from Tucker's hand and the mic from Sam's. The entire crowd seemed to collectively hold their breath as two rings of light appeared around the halfa's middle, moving up and down over the boy and turning his ordinary clothes into his jumpsuit.

Black hair is replaced with snow white, and as he blinked he could feel the glow of emerald eyes studying the people around him. A collective gasp raced through the crowd, as if when he'd changed from Phantom to Fenton it had only been a trick, but now changing from Fenton into Phantom it was suddenly entirely real.

"Go!"

Sam shouted, grasping his arm tightly as he grimaced, blood trickling down underneath his suits sleeve. Pushing himself into the air, he could feel his friends holding tighter, the stage disappearing below them as the news chopper pulled in closer. As they flew, he could hear his name being chanted over and over again, something he'd never thought possible as Tucker laughed.

"Dude, you're a rock star!"

Leave it to Foley to look on the silver lining of his biggest secret getting out and finding the link to their popularity hidden within it. Though even he had to admit, he could see the bonuses of his outing.

"Danny? Shouldn't we be going higher, not lower?" Sam asked, her voice sounding through a tunnel as the halfa looked over at her. "Danny? Hey, focus on me, are you okay?"

She was worried, he knew by the way her forehead was creased and her nose was wrinkling. But why was she worried? He was fine, he was great. He was falling. And was someone screaming? The world was spinning, trees and clouds tumbling over one another as his body smashed into the wooden floor of the stage once more and he transformed back to his normal self against his will.

"Danny!"

Tucker was shaking at his arm, trying to force the halfa to rouse, but he was so tired. Couldn't they let him just breathe and relax for a few minutes? Hadn't he earned that after all of this? He was so tired, and it hurt and-

"Danny!"

Snapping his eyes open, His friends breathed a sigh of relief.

"Some rock star," Danny mumbled, sitting up slowly as he found a pair of guns once more trained on him. "I think that reality gauntlet messed with my ghost powers."

Looking over at where Sam was kneeling with her hand over her knee protectively, she rolled her eyes.

"Or you're just exhausted."

She spit out, giving him a pointed stare.

"Come with us, Ghost Kid."

The Guys in White demanded, moving in closer as Sam's fingers wrapped around the collar of Danny's shirt.

"I'll get us out of here."

"How-"

"Mosh pit!"

The Goth screamed, tugging on Danny again as he stumbled to his feet only to be shoved from behind and off the stage into the crowds of people. He braced for the impact of impending asphalt, but it never came. Instead, he's shifted and carried over the top of the crowd, moving further and further away from the threat as his friends followed after him.

"Get him! Don't lose him!"

"Get back here!"

The shouts of the Guys in White disappeared as Danny was lowered carefully to the ground, his body crouching and hiding within the crowd as Tucker and Sam joined him a minute later.

"He's lost his ghost powers, find him!"

The men shouted in the distance as Sam grabbed ahold of his arm.

"Move!"

She commanded, tugging him along as they separated themselves from the people.

"Where are we going to go? Those guys have jetpacks!"

Tucker complained, a hint of envy in his voice as they skirted around the edges of the field.

"Over there."

Sam pointed, the building that held the locker rooms in plain sight.

"They'll think to look there, Sam."

Danny sighed, his left hand wrapped around the wound still bleeding from his arm. Normally his ghost powers healed him quickly, but he was starting to think that gauntlet really did mess with him more than he'd initially thought. Would he be able to transform again at some point?

"What other choice do we have, Danny? We can't let them take you away!"

She's exasperated, her cheeks flushed a bright pink as lavender eyes scoped out the area, her thin fingers still gripping his wrist tightly. He followed behind her, noticing the chipped black polish on her middle finger, and a small cut on the back of her hand.

And they were warm, her hands. He was always cold anymore, a side effect from being half ghost he'd guessed, but the warmth of her skin was one he didn't mind too much. In fact, it was helping to keep him calm, grounded.

"Earth to Danny! Did you hear what I just said?"

"What?"

"I take that as a no." Sam sighed, shaking his arm lightly. "I said we need to figure out where to go after we get out of here. What about the ghost zone? Those guys wouldn't dare risk going in there!"

With a frown, the halfa leaned against the door of the locker room, taking a slow breath now that the immediate danger was gone.

"We'd have to get by my parents and I promise you Sam, that's not gonna be possible after this."

"Dude, are you okay? You look kinda pale."

He can't tell if it's a joke or not, but the boy flashed his friend a weak grin anyway.

"I'm fine, Tuck. Did you hear Paulina?"

He's trying to lighten the mood, and as Tucker smirked, Sam is scoffing, dropping his hand and folding her arms.

"You are kind've a chick magnet now, Danny."

"Sure, if you like shallow girls."

"Ease up, Sam, he needs a break and-"

Danny doesn't catch the last of his friend's words, the door behind him opening and sending him sprawling back as two heavy hands grabbed his shoulders and drug him into the darkness inside.

He let out a yelp, and he heard Sam and Tucker struggling as the door slammed shut behind them.

He was fighting against his unknown, shadowed foe with panic seizing his chest. They shouldn't have stopped, they should've kept going.

Images raced through his mind of being strapped to a table, needles injecting into his limbs and scalpels ripping apart his flesh. Blood oozing out, drip drip dripping onto the floor in a disturbingly rhythmic beat. His struggling screams ignored before forcibly being silenced, his entire life stripped away cell by cell by-

"Be quiet!"

Someone hissed, and it's a strangely familiar voice, one that forced him from the delusions threatening to take over as shuffling feet and more whispers became audible. Pulling away from the tight grip, there's a confirmation of safety before the lights were flipping on and the trio began blinking to adjust their eyes while backing away from their sudden rescuers.

Standing before them was almost the entire football team and Paulina herself grinning mischievously. No one spoke at first, Danny unable to close his mouth from gaping at the group as his heart rate slowed, a relived breath shaking out of his tense frame.

"Look alive, Fenton."

Dash stated, throwing a towel towards him as he narrowed his eyes suspiciously, grabbing it from midair.

"Kinda hard when you're half dead, Dash."

He made the comment before he could stop himself, but the group before them only laughed as Danny pressed the towel against his bleeding arm.

"That's funny, Fenton!"

Kwan laughed, nudging one of his buddies who nodded along to the observation.

"Yeah.. So, you're helping me?"

He asked, looking back at where Dash stood as the very obvious leader of the jocks while rolling his eyes.

"Well duh, you've only been helping us for like, ever."

The sudden statement had Danny frozen, blue eyes unable to believe what he was staring at, his mind not quite processing the words. Hadn't that been the same guy who had bullied him and his friends for as long as he could remember? But then again, he had always been a fan of his ghost half.

Before he had a chance to respond, Paulina rushed forwards, leaning close and pressing her lips to his cheek and promptly making what wheels that had been turning in his mind shut down altogether. His hand dropped from his arm as he stared in a daze at the girl.

"Paulina Fenton. Hey! I can finally wrap my head around that idea!"

She giggled, clasping her hands together and batting her eyelashes at him as Sam made a gagging motion.

"I'm both relieved and nauseated."

He heard her say, the disgust clear in her voice as she yanked the towel from his hands and pressed it hard against his skin, making him flinch and come back to reality.

"Thanks, uhm, for the save and all."

"Those guys looked like they wanted to skin you, Danny."

Kwan piped up again, fidgeting nervously where he stood.

"I wonder what kind of experiments they would have run."

Tucker mused, tilting his head towards his friends as Danny frowned.

"I'd really like to avoid thinking about that Tuck, thanks."

"How are we supposed to get out of here? Those guys know you can't transform, so they know you're still nearby. It won't be long until they find us."

Sam pointed out, pulling the towel away and inspecting the cut, satisfied that she finally seemed to have stemmed the bleeding.

"Leave that to us."

Dash boasted, puffing out his chest and grinning widely at the trio.

"Is it just me, or is he a different kind of scary when he tries to help?"

Tucker murmured under his breath as Danny leaned closer to him, eyeing the football player warily.

"It's not just you."

* * *

"I had my doubts, but even I can admit that this is a great idea."

Tucker's voice was muffled, the mascot head showing two shining eyes that glimmered from its large mouth.

"And it will haunt my nightmares for the rest of my life."

Danny stated, pushing the beak away from him and readjusting the uniform he wore.

"Would you two shut up?"

Sam hissed, standing on her toes to look out the window.

"See anything out there?"

Tucker asked, trying to peer through the small opening while pressing up against her.

"Would you get away? When was the last time that suit was even washed? You smell like feet." She huffed, reaching out and pushing him before turning to look at Danny. "They're standing out there, looks like they're discussing what to do next."

"We should go, before they come in here and see you guys."

Dash motioned, tossing a helmet to the halfa. As Danny put the helmet on, his eyes shifted over to Sam, staring harder than he thought possible for the third time since they'd changed.

"I want that back by Monday," Paulina stated coolly, glaring at Sam in the cheerleader uniform. "_Minus_ the Goth sweat."

"We don't sweat, we simmer!"

Sam practically shouted, her hands balled into fists as she pushed closer to the taller girl, acting as if she were ready to throw a punch.

"Calm down, Sam." Danny whispered, his hands grabbing ahold of her arms and pulling her closer to him. "They're helping us, remember?"

Her head turned, studying his face for a few seconds before pulling away and scowling.

"Yeah, whatever. Let's go."

Grabbing a couple of pompoms sitting next to the door, she tugged at the miniskirt again in disgust. Danny couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her wear color, the red and white uniform standing out brightly against her dark hair and makeup.

Shutting off the light, Dash pulled open the door and stalked calmly outside, the rest of the jocks moving single file into the night. The Guys in White turned, watching the small band of kids as they walked out of the locker room before the trio followed closely behind.

Tucker and Danny already had their faces mostly hidden, while Sam kept the pompoms close to her face to hide her own features. The Guys in White quickly lost interest in the group of kids, turning around and discussing things quietly amongst themselves.

Making their way away from the school and passing through the woods, Tucker and Danny pulled off their disguises, giving them back to the jocks once they were in the clear.

"Thanks for your help, Dash. I can't believe I'm about to say this but.. We couldn't have done it without you."

"Just don't screw everything up, alright? Now that I know you're Phantom, you're actually a tiny bit cool." The boy said begrudgingly, pointing towards the town. "We'll keep them distracted as long as possible."

"Thanks."

Danny said again, beckoning for his friends to hurry as the group split apart.

"You ever think you'd be thanking Dash for helping you?"

Tucker asked, readjusting his beret as the boy snorted.

"No, but I never thought he'd be calling me Phantom either."

"We have bigger problems. Like finding a place where _I_ can change."

Sam complained, pulling at the uniform again with the pompoms now exchanged for her other clothes.

"If it's any consolation, Sam," Danny began, draping his arm over her shoulder and flashing her a coy smile. "That uniform really doesn't look half bad on you."

She was speechless at first, blinking a couple of times as her cheeks turned a rosy color before she was shoving him away.

"Great, you've officially made me sick. Excuse me while I go bleach my eyes because I'll never be able to look at myself again."

She started walking faster, catching up to Tucker and grumbling about Paulina and the uniform and the whole unfortunate mess they'd gotten themselves into once again as Danny lagged behind, his smile falling and his hand touching his side gingerly.

They were walking in no set direction, but he knew all three of them had the final destination in mind. And really, it scared Danny more than the Guys in White had. Because he was going home, and who knew what awaited him? His parents loved him, he knew that. But they also loved ghost hunting. And how long had the two of them been talking about dissecting and ripping apart his ghost half?

Danny shivered, his hands running through his hair and down his face anxiously. What exactly would be awaiting him when he walked through his own front door?

* * *

**A/N**

**Sorry for how long the hiatus was! My brother ended up moving to Japan, and so I spent some time with him before he left, and some other family issues got in the way of things. But I'm back and chapters should be more frequent! Thank you to everyone who is still reading, it means the world to me!**


	7. 7 - Maddie

Silence. Crushing, agonizing silence. Quivering lips and a racing heart, breaths that left too fast and were forced out too harsh. And when words were finally spoken, they were released with a pained voice and a strangled lilt.

"Our son is the Ghost Boy?"

The question left Maddie's lips in whispered disbelief. Wide, blue eyes stared intently at her daughter fidgeting in front of her. Her hands wrung together, her tongue darting out to moisten her lips as she took a cautious step forward.

"Now, now. Let's not go jumping to any hasty conclusions."

Jasmine warned, lifting her hands in a defensive manner. Why would she act in such a way, unless she had been lying as well? She knew what Danny was, didn't she? Why else would she so desperately try to distract them, try so hard to calm them before their panic fully set in.

But how was it possible? It wasn't. It couldn't be. Her son, her Danny, he wasn't that ghost child that roamed Amity Park at all hours of the night. Danny wasn't like that. He didn't sneak out, he didn't lie, and he didn't put his life in danger.

She could admit that he often overslept, and he wasn't doing that great in school, but that didn't mean he was part ghost, it only meant he was a moody teenager. She had accepted that about him. Sure, she would've liked him to try harder, but that didn't make him a ghost. Did it?

And if he was, though she wasn't quite ready to admit that, why wouldn't he tell them? Was it such a terrible secret that he couldn't trust them with it? Or was he scared of what they would do? But if that were the case, he wouldn't have told Jasmine. Looking up, Maddie's eyes narrowed, her arms folding over her chest as her tone shifted.

"Did you know about him, Jasmine?"

She needed confirmation. A statement from the girl, an explanation. She would take anything at this point, so long as it wasn't a lie. Jasmine opened her mouth to speak, when heavy pounding threatened to break down their front door. There was a moment of silence before Maddie turned her attention back to the girl, ignoring the noise.

"Jazz?"

Jack spoke up, the look on his face just as confused and hurt and scared as Maddie was sure hers must have been.

"I-I did." She answered softly, eyes falling to the floor as she pressed the toe of her shoe into the tile. "But I promised him I wouldn't say anything."

She added quickly, glassy eyes turning to stare pleadingly at her parents as that same crushing weight fell heavier against the woman's chest. Both of her children had been lying to her. For how long? How many mornings had they sat at the table together, eating breakfast, talking about school and work and life, and how many mornings had they spent lying to her face?

"Why?"

She could hear the choked way her words had come out and could see the hurt on Jazz's face, though she still remained quiet as someone pounded on the door again and Jack started to turn.

"Leave it." Maddie urged, pressing her hand against her husband's arm. "How did this happen?"

She asked, hoping a different question would draw something out of the redhead standing in front of her.

"He would never talk about it." Jasmine shrugged finally, hugging her arms into her chest and breathing shallowly. "I only found out a couple of months ago. But.. He's been like this for a while now."

Covering her mouth with her hand, Maddie closed her eyes and inhaled a sharp breath. Months? Her baby had been living with this secret for _months_? He was half ghost, half _dead_. How could she not have ever noticed? What kind of mother was she?

"Why didn't you tell us when you found out?"

Jack barked, his own voice gruff with emotion.

"I promised him!" Jasmine cried, a tear slipping down her cheek as she quickly brushed it away. "I wanted him to be able to trust me! He couldn't-"

She stopped herself abruptly, refusing to say more as her mother nodded slowly.

"He couldn't trust us, so you wanted him to be able to come to you."

"Mom-"

"You!"

The sudden voice pulled the family away from their discussion, Maddie's head swiveling to see four people standing in their kitchen doorway. Simmering with anger were Jeremy and Pamela Manson, while behind them stood a far less furious, but still upset Angela and Maurice Foley.

"You!"

Jack shouted back, pulling away from his family and stalking forwards as Jeremy met him halfway. She could guess what they were doing there, but instead of joining her husband she lagged behind, an arm reaching behind her and beckoning Jasmine closer. Everything was a disaster and in utter chaos, but there was no way she was letting the others take it out on her daughter.

"We were watching Extreme Nanny Makeover when we found out your _son_ is a _ghost_!"

Jeremy shouted, poking his finger at Jack as he tried to appear threatening. It was so ridiculously stupid, Maddie almost laughed. Jeremy Manson was at least half the size of Jack, and nowhere near as broad shouldered.

He spent his time organizing rallies and protests, where as her husband worked with machinery.

In a fight, it wouldn't be hard to figure out which would win. But the other three parents were inching closer and she was beginning to feel as if they were about to get mobbed.

"Why are you yelling at us? Your spooky bat daughter has _got_ to be behind this!"

Jack shot back, towering over the uptight man as he glowered. Glancing back at Jasmine, Maddie raised a single brow in question to which the girl barely nodded. So his friends knew as well.

How many others had known, how many others had he trusted besides his own parents? She tried to swallow past the lump in her throat, forcing the emotions welling up inside her to obey a simple task. Stay inside. Too much was happening, she couldn't afford to be emotional.

"Now fellas, it's okay to point fingers so long as no one is pointing them at _my_ son."

Maurice chimed in, stepping closer and forcing a gap between the other two men. Maddie had never been one to indulge in the fantasy that the parents of Danny's friends thought anything but crazy things about them. But she'd never expected to be villainized by them either.

If Danny's friends knew, that meant they were putting their lives on the line just as much as Danny was. And just like Danny, it was their choice. Perhaps her and Jack had failed at parenting, but it wasn't as if the Manson's or the Foley's had done any better. Their children lied too. And in some strange, twisted way, that offered her a modicum of comfort.

Taking a deep breath, the scientist finally stepped forward, forcing her way into the testosterone crazed group. Clearing her throat loudly, she pinched the bridge of her nose and frowned.

"Okay, so maybe Danny _is_ the ghost boy, but it's not as if any of _our_ ghost activities have ever put any of _your_ families in danger."

She said sharply, gathering the attention onto herself as her husband fumed silently. She liked Sam and Tucker a lot, but those kids had made their own choices. Lying to their parents, keeping Danny's secret, helping him with whatever it was he got up too.

And what she said was true; their families had never been endangered by any of the ghost activities she and Jack had gotten up to in the past. Whatever had happened to Danny, who was to say whether that was the result of something they had caused? Pamela Manson stepped forward, thrusting her hand towards Maddie.

"You don't think all of this is your fault? Why just look around!"

She scoffed, waving her hands about as the lights flickered.

"Hah! See? Even talking about it makes your house act up!"

Jeremy sneered, wrapping his arm around his wife as Jack looked up at the lights when they flickered again.

"The house is on a generator, we aren't even connected to the cities power. If we were, blackouts would occur far more frequently."

Maddie mused, her back turning to the group as she looked down the hall, spotting a lamp flickering on its table.

"Mom?"

Jasmine asked softly, creeping closer as the lights shuddered, a cold chill making the woman shiver.

"Something's not right."

Jack said to himself, his anger melting away at the curiosity of it all as the air ducts began shaking, another cool blast of air washing over the group.

"Maybe if you didn't sink all your money into ridiculous ghost toys, you could afford to fix your air conditioning!"

The snarky response left the blonde man quickly, a proud smirk at his witty retort alive on his face as the rattling grew louder.

"That's not the air conditioning, Jeremy."

Maddie spoke sharply, reaching out and grabbing Jasmine's arm, tugging her daughter closer to her. The grate on the vent clattered to the floor suddenly, a burst of energy flying out of the ducts and floating around the room as the lights put on a frenzied show turning on and off rapidly.

Glass rained down from shattered windows as the families dove for cover, huddling closer together.

Maddie's breath was cold as she pulled Jasmine back from the wall, Jack darting for one of the drawers that held their weapons.

Before he could reach it, however, a bat three times the normal size appeared beside him, biting at his arm and making the man lurch back and begin thrashing around to rid himself of the creature.

"Mom, wait!"

Jazz shouted, grabbing her mother's arm tightly as she tried to assist her husband. Looking at the girl and turning to follow her gaze, Maddie's breath caught at the sight of a ghost emerging from the vent that had previously been forced open.

She was a horrifying shade of green, ectoplasm dripping down her head and the side of her neck like blood from the spikes that protruded from her skull. Burning crimson eyes moved carefully over the room, taking in the occupants before she thrust her hands out dramatically.

Energy moved at her command, twisting and spiraling before wrapping around the three families, drawing husbands and wives together into a tight embrace.

"What was that about never involving us?"

Jeremy spat out, his face pushed against Pamela's cheek and making his voice take on a muffled tone.

"Okay, fine! Until now!"

Jack shouted back, his arms wrapping tightly around his own family as the energy constricted them together, making fighting back impossible.

"I'm really, really sorry."

Jazz said quietly, as if she thought this were all her fault somehow.

"It's alright, sweetheart, we'll be fine."

Maddie soothed despite the aching in her chest. Her eyes flickered back to the television, the screen having been cracked in the commotion, yet still remaining on.

She could see her son collapsed on the stage, his form pale and shaking, and he looked so scared. She couldn't seem to tear her eyes away until Sam appeared and pushed him off the platform, the trio disappearing from sight and leaving the cameras to trail the movements of two governmental types that tried to hurry after them.

What would they do if they caught up to him? All those times she spoke freely about the terrible experiments she wanted to do on Phantom. All those times her son just stared wearily at the table while his father boasted about ripping him to shreds. They were no better than those men.

They really had failed him, hadn't they? All of that they had put him through, and now he was running for his life and there wasn't a single thing she could do to protect him. Would he really be alright out there, all on his own? All that she could do now was hope and pray they could keep themselves safe, that he could hold out until she could figure a way to finally protect her child.


	8. 8 - Sam

The closer they got to his house the more dread they all felt. Danny hadn't spoken a word since they'd left the school, and any playful banter from earlier had entirely died out. Not that she could blame them of course, because with every step they took it brought them closer to Fenton Works, and in turn his parents.

Jazz had been with them, hadn't she? Would she have eased them into it, tried to lighten the blow any when they found out? She could only hope for Danny's sake that she had.

Their small group came to a sudden halt as Danny peered around the corner, the house looming before them in the darkness. The silence was tense as Sam shivered, her arms wrapping around herself despite the warm weather.

"Okay," Danny's voice broke through the stretch of nothingness as he straightened his shoulders and faced his two friends. "I'm going to zip in, grab my stuff, and.."

"And then what, run away from home?"

Tucker chimed in, causing the tension to rise.

"Well what choice do I have?" Danny practically yelled, throwing his hands in the air and slumping against the wall. "The entire world knows my secret!"

Sam had never seen him act like that, on the edge of anger and uncertainty. Sure, he had a lot of bad ideas and the execution on most of them was even worse, but that general understanding of what he needed to do or what would happen had always been there. For him to suddenly lose everything he'd been holding on to, she couldn't really blame him for his outburst.

"But," He stood taller now, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he stared at his friends. "If I get the gauntlet I can change reality so that none of this ever happened!"

Sam and Tucker exchanged a look before Sam shook her head.

"Danny, that's crazy. We don't even know for sure where those stones went, or how we would even get that thing off Freakshow's arm."

"Sam has a point, besides, is it really so bad for everyone to know? You're super popular now!"

Tucker pointed out, a grin wide on his face as his friend shot him a dirty look.

"Yeah, Tuck, it would be great if my parents weren't waiting inside with test tubes and a knife to dissect me with."

He rolled his eyes and turned back, watching the front door of his house as if he expected his parents to burst through and attack him.

"We'll help you with whatever you need, you know that. But let's try and think things through. Let's just go in there and talk to your parents. You never know what they'll say."

Sam stated, moving around the other two and marching to the door while feigning more confidence than she currently possessed. She knew how the Fenton's were, but surely they weren't _that_ crazy, right? Actually, now that she thought about it, maybe her and Tucker should've come here without Danny.

The halfa approached the door quietly, moving in front of her and pushing it open while striding inside. "Believe me, guys, it will be better for everyone if I just-"

His words falter as he flipped on the lights and came face to face with a dozen men that stood waiting, guns aimed and ready to capture the boy the moment he'd walked in.

"Welcome home." Sam muttered as two men appeared behind them, pulling her and Tucker into their arms and holding them captive. "Hey! Let go of me!" Sam yelled, struggling against the impossible grip holding her as she glared angrily at the back of Danny's head. "For those still counting, that's _three times_ we've been grabbed today!"

"Humans are secure, take down the ghost child."

One of the men reported as Danny backed up a step.

"Where are my mom and dad? What have you done with them?"

He demanded, his hands balling into fists as he stared down the dozen armed men.

"Come quietly, ghost boy."

One man stated, taking a step closer as Sam watched Danny's back tense.

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me where my family is!"

His voice was piercing, the sheer volume making the girl wince and turn away as a cold chill washed over the room.

"He's attacking!"

There was a sudden shift in the dynamic, the sound of guns loading and lasers readying filling the room as the lights flickered, another burst of air making it feel like winter in the middle of summer.

"Danny?"

Sam called out, her voice cautious as she strained to see him. At the sound of her voice, the boy partially turned, his eyes meeting hers as Sam gasped.

"Dude, your _eyes_."

Tucker gaped as the boy turned back to face the small army. Sam swallowed thickly, trying to squirm away faster now. The lights, the chills, it was Danny, he was causing all of it.

His anger, his emotion, his ghostly abilities were coming out, and the way his eyes had glowed was downright nightmarish. She was used to seeing the green eyes on Phantom, with the white hair and the jumpsuit. But those radioactive colored hues that had stared at her just now were awful, they were emotionless, they were.. inhuman.

"Daniel Fenton, in accordance with the federal anti ecto control act article one, section one, subsection eight, you're under arrest."

One of the Guys In White leading the charge made the statement boldly, obviously unafraid of whatever Danny was channeling at that moment. The halfa let out a scoff, his voice low and frigid as he flexed his fingers slowly.

"I'm only going to say this once. Let my friends go, and get the hell out of my house."

With each word, Sam could see the trails of blue slipping past the boys lips, but if he noticed the ghostly tell he hadn't let it show. The entire room felt like they were standing in a meat locker now and Sam wondered if her fingers would snap off if she dared to move them. Casting a look at Tucker, she found him with a worried gaze of his own directed at the half ghost that was their friend.

She could feel the unbridled rage bubbling off him, rolling like waves towards the army in front of him that had invaded his home. Not that she held it against him, the day had been absolute hell since the very beginning. Honestly she wouldn't have blamed Danny even if he lashed out and attacked them all.

But this? Using his powers while still in his human form was downright frightening. She'd never seen him act so _cold_ before.

"Yeah?" One of the men scoffed, lowering his gun and leaning his face closer to the halfa. "Or what?"

"Or.. This!"

Danny yelled, breaking into a run away from the men and towards the wall near the kitchen, shocking everyone in the room who had expected a drastically different response. Ripping a picture from off the wall and throwing it to the floor the half ghost turned, slamming his elbow through a small glass box that the photograph had covered.

Glass shattered onto the floor as droplets of red and green blood stained the carpet, Danny's glowing green eyes settling on his friends as he slammed his hand over the emergency button his family had hidden. As soon as the button was pushed, the lights flashed a shade of crimson red and alarms began blaring, sending the men into a confused panic.

"**FENTON WORKS ANTI CREEP MODE ACTIVATED."**

Sam watched in awe as multiple panels opened from the walls, various weapons unfolding out and aiming for every ghost hunter in the room. Danny's parents were crazy, but she had to admit that the stuff they made could be pretty cool. One of the guns swiveled around and took aim at Danny who blinked once before diving off to the side, barely missing one of the blasts.

"You're supposed to attack them not _me_!"

He yelled, pushing himself up as three of the men began fighting back at the house as another blaster pointed at Danny.

"Look out!"

Sam shouted, wriggling against her captor as Danny looked down at his bloody arm.

"Oh, _sh_-"

"Move!"

Tucker screamed as Danny dove off to the side again, letting out a yelp as the blast caught the edge of his shirt.

"Danny!"

Sam shifted her weight and lifted her leg high before bringing the heel of her boot down as heavily as she could against the man's knee. He roared in pain, loosening his grip just enough for her to squirm her way out as guns took aim at him and the one holding Tucker. Stalking over and slamming the heel of her foot onto the others toes, Tucker was free in moments and the two began running for cover.

"Danny! Get out of the way!"

Sam shouted, hunching down as she made her way towards her friend. The boy sat up slowly, his eyes finally having returned to their normal shade of blue as he looked down at his arm, quickly wiping away a mix of human and ghost blood dripping from his elbow.

"Over here!"

Danny beckoned, crawling away from a three man fight on one of his parents ecto blasters as his friends followed. Wiping away another streak of blood, an attack from one of the Guy's in White sped towards them as the trio braced themselves for the hit only to hear the blast ricocheting away. Sam dared to peer up and gaped at the shield that had risen from the floor to protect them.

"What's going on?"

She yelled over the noise as Danny shoved his hair away from his face and glanced over the shield.

"The house attacks anything using ecto energy. My parent's last defense if a ghost made it inside." The boy explained, ducking back down as a blast shot a hole through his front wall and disappeared outside. "Which means if I go ghost the house will think I'm an enemy, _damnit_!" The boy groaned, running his hands through his hair as he looked around before pointing towards the stairs. "I have an idea, run!"

Standing up, Danny's hand wrapped around Sam's wrist, pulling her along behind him. Why had he grabbed her hand? Was it to stay together? But then why hadn't he grabbed Tucker's? And why did the cool touch of his skin make her heart beat so fast?

Sam yelped as she was drug to the ground suddenly, barely avoiding a blast from one of the house's weapons against one of the men.

"Where are your parents?"

Sam complained, standing back up and following after Danny as they ran up the stairs.

"Probably looking for a scalpel to dissect me with."

He grumbled, finally letting go of the girls hand as they walked into his parents' bedroom. Blue eyes darted frantically around the room before landing on a rug off to the side. The boy quickly pushed it away with the toe of his sneaker and grinned. As the trio squeezed onto the metal platelet the carpet had been hiding, Danny looked up at the ceiling.

"Three to the op center!"

As the words left his mouth, the lights in the room faded from red to green, a cylindrical tube moving down and encasing the three of them in an elevator.

"How does your dad fit in this thing?"

Tucker mumbled against Sam's shoulder as the three shot up through the ceiling of the room and into the op center above Fenton Works.

"Gross!"

Tucker yelled as the elevator stopped and the group stumbled out of the door.

"Tell your dad he's _got_ to change out that emergency ham, it's starting to grow _fuzz_."

Sam grimaced, looking back at the door of the old refrigerator they'd fallen through that the Fenton's had refurbished to suit their needs.

"Oh sure, I'll remind him between the cutting me open part and the shoving my organs into containers part."

Sam's about to respond when a grappling hook flew past the window, securing onto a part of the op centers roof.

"They're climbing up here!"

Tucker warned, peering out the window and down to where the men were making their way towards the trio.

"Time to lock up for the night."

Danny announced, walking over to the control panel and flipping a few switches, turning a knob, and pulling down a lever. As he did, the entire building began to shake, heavy metal panels sliding down into place to block the windows and doors, cutting off all other contact to the world as the lights above them blinked a somber red.

"This will keep them out?"

Sam asked, leaning against one of the walls and stifling a yawn, glancing at a digital clock on the dash that glowed an eerie _12:07_ in blue.

"It's kept everything out in the past."

Danny shrugged, watching as the final panel slid into place and silence loomed over them.

"What are we gonna do?"

Tucker finally broke the silence, a distant sound of pounding from the men the only indication they were still out there.

"We need to leave."

Danny sighed, looking around before making his way to the back of the room, revealing a glass case covering another button.

"Your parents really like their emergency buttons."

Sam mused as Danny smirked.

"Tell me about it, this is only one of _eighteen_."

Using a metal rod to break the case this time, the boy pressed the button and the control panel began to act up. Lights started flashing and a motor began running as Tucker moved to a large portion of window that had started to reopen.

"The Fenton Blimp? What are we gonna do, bore them off our tail in a low speed chase?"

The boy scoffed as the op center detached itself from the building and rose into the air.

"Give me some credit, Tuck."

The boy rolled his eyes, pressing a couple of buttons as Sam pointed to the men catching up.

"They're right on us, Danny!"

"Okay, okay, I got this." Running to the fridge, the halfa ripped open the door and stuck his head inside, pressing yet another button that was protected this time by the emergency ham rather than a glass case. "Seatbelts!"

He shouted, running back towards his friends and jumping into a seat as the blimp began to shake. Ignoring his comment and staring out the window instead, Sam watched as the blimp disconnected from the rest of the op center, the craft shaking and swaying before pieces retracted and others moved around.

Sam laughed aloud, pressing her face closer to the window as two rockets jutted out and ecto energy shot the craft forwards, leaving the men to hurry after them.

"This is-"

"Awesome!"

Tucker finished, laughing even louder as Danny smiled smugly.

"Told you guys I had it under control."

"Uh, Danny, about that control thing, are we about to crash?"

Pointing, Sam stared in horror at the way the Fenton's craft began to nose dive directly towards their high school. Running forwards, Danny grabbed ahold of the controls and began pulling at them, only to have them lock into place in his hands.

"I don't know what to do!"

Danny yelled, hitting buttons at random in an attempt to make something work.

"Well do _something_!"

Sam shouted back, sliding into a seat and strapping her seatbelt on.

"I don't.. wait!"

Slamming his fist down on a button, Danny ran to a seat between his friends as Jack's voice spoke overhead.

"**INITIATING FENTON AUTO PILOT**."

The steering wheel jerked suddenly, the school growing ever closer as the three started screaming. Just as the building was nearing its demise, the craft shifted sideways, narrowly missing the library and speeding off down Main Street.

"They're still chasing us!'

Tucker warned, catching sight of one of the Guys In White as they swerved around cars and over buildings.

"It's after five, why can't they just quit and go home like every _other_ government employee?"

Sam scoffed, folding her arms and slouching in her seat. Glancing to her left, she watched Danny unstrap his seatbelt and stand up, his fists balled as he shook his head.

"I'm going ghost!"

Sam frowned as the two rings of light appeared around the boys middle, each one traveling up and down his slight frame and changing him into his signature jumpsuit, snow white hair and glowing green eyes. Walking up to the right wall of the op center, Danny placed his hands shoulder width apart and braced his legs.

Closing his eyes, a cold rush of air moved through the aircraft as if someone had just kicked on the air conditioning and Danny turned invisible. The two watched in silence as the machine shuddered before beginning to turn invisible as well.

Tucker jumped out of his seat, moving to one side of the window and watching as Sam moved to the other as the outside of the craft took over Danny's ghostly abilities. Several minutes passed in silence before the Guys In White gave up, turning around and heading back towards Amity Park.

"Alright! We lost them!"

Tucker cheered, pumping his fist in the air.

"I think we're alright now, Danny, you can stop." Sam urged, walking over and standing against the wall. It was strange how Danny's powers worked. She couldn't see him, but she just _knew_ he was there. If she focused carefully, she could see the way the interior of the ship shifted, as if fabric shifting in a breeze, and she knew it was him moving. "Danny?"

"It's better to be safe than sorry, I'll keep it up a while longer."

His voice was strained, and she knew it wasn't easy keeping the ship as it was.

"Okay, but not for too much longer, alright?"

She relented, knowing full well she wouldn't win against his stubbornness as her hand partially rose before it fell back to her side. What comfort could she possibly give to him at this moment? If anything he probably needed what little space he could get.

The next hour was spent taking note of what kind of rations the op center had and to figure out where exactly they were going. After that it was finding supplies for traveling and sleeping and communication. Luckily, the Fenton's were always prepared it seemed and had taken the appropriate measures for if something had ever happened.

By one thirty Tucker was passed out in a sleeping bag under the controls, and Sam had laid out two more for herself and Danny.

"I think you can stop now, it's been over an hour since we lost them."

She spoke softly, walking back over to where the boy was.

"It's fine."

He mumbled, his voice thick and heavy from the days exhaustion finally sinking in.

"You've been through a lot, Danny," She pointed out, sliding down the wall and sitting next to where he stood. "You're allowed to take a break and rest."

"I will in a while."

"Danny-"

"I'm sorry."

The sudden apology threw the girl off guard, her head tilting up to stare at where he was.

"Sorry? For what?"

"I got you and Tucker mixed up in all of this, and I can't even take you home because Freakshow will probably be waiting for you there."

"Danny, stop," Sam chided, leaning her head back. "You know we would stick with you through this regardless. Besides, it isn't your fault that Freakshow has a stupid vendetta against you."

"Everything kinda sucks right now, huh? So much for our cross country trip."

"Who cares? We'll find a different way to spend the summer together. Or we'll go different places."

"You'll miss Gothapalooza."

"So? I just wanted to spend the summer with you, you idiot. It doesn't matter where we go."

Crossing her arms against her chest she looked away, her face turning a faint shade of pink as she heard him laugh quietly.

"Hey, Sam?"

"What?"

Looking across the room at where tucker slept, his beret and glasses beside him, she only heard the halfa sigh.

"Nothing. You should get some sleep."

"So should you! I'm not sleeping until you do," She stated stubbornly, leaning back and closing her eyes. "So you better hurry up and get some rest."

He chuckled again, and she felt his arm brush against her shoulder.

"Thanks, Sam."

She didn't respond except with the smallest smile as she settled against the wall, listening to the sound of the engines running beneath her as she let her mind wander.

* * *

Sam jolted at something heavy hitting her side, her eyes flying open and her heart racing. Turning, she saw nothing beside her despite the heaviness weighing against her side, and she had to focus to remember what had happened.

When had she fallen asleep? Looking around, the night before came flooding back. She was in the op center, Tucker was sprawled out on the floor, and Danny was..

"Danny?"

Sam whispered, reaching out and feeling his shoulder pressing into hers.

"Hey.. morning.."

He mumbled as her eyes looked for the clock that read _5:29._

"Danny, you've been at this for hours, you need to _stop_." She stated firmly, shaking his shoulder gently. There's silence before he became tangible and she saw the boy on his knees half slumped against her and half against the wall. "You wore yourself out too much today."

She sighed, her heart aching at the dazed look on his face. Two rings of light appeared around the boy's middle as he transformed back into his human half, looking even worse for wear. He wasn't bleeding anymore, but he had half a dozen scabs and his clothes looked like he'd been shoved through a shredder.

"Danny-" She began, cutting off as the boys eyes closed and he fell into her side. "Danny!"

Sam gasped, catching his shoulders and easing him down until he was propped against her lap. The girls face flushed a shade of scarlet as she swallowed thickly, staring down at her unconscious friend.

"You idiot, why do you always have to overdo everything?"

Her fingers found their way mixing into his hair, brushing the dark strands from his eyes and moving carefully over a healing wound along his hairline.

It was so early, the sun had just begun to rise and the soft daylight was just starting to brighten the rest of the op center. Before long they'd have to try and contact his parents or Jazz, and she would need to get ahold of her parents too and explain why she had suddenly disappeared.

But Danny needed rest first, and she wanted him to sleep for as long as possible. Although his current position was slightly uncomfortable, she didn't have the heart to move him.

Her hand shifted in his hair, moving gently through the messy locks as she felt his pulse in his temple. He was too young to have to deal with all of this. All of them were. He could've died earlier, and..

She couldn't even bring herself to think about what might've happened if the Guys In White had gotten ahold of him. And would his parents really try and hurt him? So many people were against him and out to get them, would they even stand a chance with his identity out?

Looking down at his restful face, her fingers brushed through his hair again and she let out a soft sigh. They'd make it through this like they always did, she was sure of it. But if they didn't manage to change things back, how badly would that effect Danny?

He was always so careful. Well, at least most of the time. And he was already on the edge of a breakdown as it was, so how he would handle it if things didn't turn out the way he was planning them to?

Leaning her head back and closing her eyes tightly, she fought back against the lump in her throat and the sudden urge to cry. It had been a long day for everyone, and all she could do now was hope.

"Please be okay."

She murmured aloud, her hand falling from his hair as she tried desperately to block out her thoughts and go back to sleep. Things would get better for them all. They had too.

* * *

**A/N**

**Okay so I'm a big sucker for angst, but I can't help putting in some fluff for these two cause they are the cutest and honestly we could all do with some more fluff every now and again.**

**By popular demand, my next chapter will be the reactions of Valerie, Dash, Paulina, and Mr. Lancer.**

**I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far, I'd love to hear feedback from you all, and thanks again for reading!**


	9. 9 - Bonus Chapter - Reactions

**A/N**

**Normally I put notes at the end, but seeing as this is a special chapter, things are a little different. In this chapter I've written the reactions for Dash, Paulina, Mr. Lancer, and Valerie when they find out Danny Fenton is actually Danny Phantom. Each POV is separated, but they all mix together and I had fun overlapping a few pieces each time!**

**I hope you guys enjoy this special chapter, sorry for the delay, it took me longer than the others to write!**

* * *

_**DASH BAXTER**_

-.-

The whole thing was lame. What was the point in going to school when there was only one day left and he wasn't even able to play football? He'd complained to Mr. Lancer and to the Coach, but no one seemed to care. That stupid concert setup was ruining his entire day, which meant he'd have to beat up twice as many losers to try and salvage it.

"Hey, Baxter!"

Kwan waved, flagging the blonde down as he walked onto the school yard.

"What are you so cheery about?"

Dash grumbled, shoving the boy's shoulder as he walked past.

"C'mon Dash, you still pissed about the football field? We can just go out behind the school and play."

"Whatever, it's not like it matters. Where are all the geeks today?"

He griped, flexing his fingers as he looked around.

"All inside, guess they're practicing for an assembly or something."

"Perfect, those losers won't know what hit them."

The boy laughed, slamming his hand against the palm of his other as a voice barked at them from the sidewalk.

"You boys need to be getting to class! And don't think I've forgotten about that report you still haven't given me, Kwan."

Mr. Lancer called, readjusting the bag on his shoulder as he glared at the two of them from where he stood.

"Right, of course! I have it in my locker, I'll just.. go and get it!"

Kwan sheepishly nodded, giving his friend a look before running into the school followed by the annoyed Vice Principal. Rolling his eyes, Dash tugged at his jacket and started towards the front doors, stopping when a dark haired girl caught his eye. Breaking into a grin, Dash sauntered over and placed a hand beside the girl's head against the wall and stared down at her.

"Hey, Paulina."

He greeted as the girl frowned.

"You're blocking my sun, Dash."

She complained, her accent making him smile more as he leaned closer.

"You are my sun, Sanchez."

"Ew, get away from me, creep."

She groaned, shoving her hands into his chest and pushing him away from her.

"Come on, Paulina, I'm just having fun with you, learn to take a joke."

"Learn to take a shower and then we'll talk."

She scoffed, rolling her eyes and turning her back on him.

"Hi, Dash!"

Glancing to his left, the boy stared at a blonde girl holding a couple of books, a bright smile on her face as she watched the two interact.

"Hey, Star." He muttered dismissively before turning back to the other. "So, what do you say, go to the concert with me?"

"As if. I told you before, I'm not interested."

"What, still trying to go after Phantom? What does he got that I don't?"

"He's a hero, something you're _not_."

"Hey, I'm a hero for the football team."

He boasted, puffing out his chest as the girl rolled her eyes again.

"Later."

She scoffed, pushing away from him and heading inside the building with Star trailing behind her.

Dash scowled, rolling his shoulders and looking around the schoolyard. His morning was massively sucking and he wanted to beat some loser up, but the one he wanted wasn't anywhere to be seen, unlike his friends who seemed to be waiting for him.

"Hey losers! Where's Fenturd?"

He shouted, catching the attention of the weird Goth girl and the loser tech boy standing next to a tree.

"Like I'd actually tell you, Baxter!"

The Goth shouted back, giving him a dirty look as the first bell rang.

"Screw this."

He muttered, striding inside the building and towards his locker. There was no way he was going to any of his classes, he was going to cut and go to Nasty Burger and then-

"Ah, Mr. Baxter. Retrieving an assignment?"

Looking up, Dash forced down a sarcastic retort at the sight of Mr. Lancer once more looming over him.

"Uhm, no Sir."

"Good, then you're headed to my class, I presume?"

"Uh, yeah, sure.."

He muttered, slouching as he followed the Vice Principle to his first period class.

-.-

Everything was so _boring_. Even when Fenton came stumbling inside the class behind his friends, everything just seemed to drag on and _on._

Staring out the window, Dash yawned and rested his chin in his hand, fingers drumming softly against his desk. Lancer was droning on as usual, but he didn't care. What he cared about was the day being over and preparing for his summer. There were going to be so many dork's studying during summer school he was going to enjoy beating the snot out of when he came to practice.

The sound of someone coughing drew the boy's attention, Valerie Gray sitting two rows up and staring intently at Fenton and the Goth. He couldn't understand why she had such a stupid crush on that loser, he was a scrawny dweeb who was doing worse in class than he was, and even he had to admit he wasn't passing with any flying colors.

Besides, practically everyone in the school knew that Fenton and Manson had some weird loser romance going on so why did she even bother? She'd had a social standing at one point, but when her father lost his job he guessed her standards went down with it.

"Did anyone hear my question?" Lancer's voice boomed, jolting the boy from his thoughts as he stared at the front of the class, the teacher looking beyond frustrated as he scanned the room. "Anyone? Foley, what's the answer?"

Tucker obviously hadn't been paying attention either, the boy's eyes widening as he looked around anxiously. Dash watched in amusement as Valerie leaned forward half an inch and murmured in his ear before the boy was shouting out an answer.

"The Netherlands!"

The entire room erupted into snickering as Lancer's face turned a shade of scarlet and the man scowled.

"Sense and Sensibility, Foley! Does this _look _like Geography class to you?"

"I-I, well-"

"Were any of you paying attention at all?" He barked out as the room fell silent. "Fine, since no one is interested in learning anything from me today, I'll let you go for the remainder of the period," He began, cheering erupting as the man glared at every one of them. "Just make sure you pick up a Nasty Burger application on your way home today because that's what your future is going to look like without a decent education."

-.-

"Man this day went on forever!"

Dash complained, throwing the football to Kwan.

"At least it's over! You got any plans for vacation?"

Catching the ball, Dash turned it over a couple of times.

"Nah, told my old man I'd work with him a little."

Chucking it back, Kwan caught it and nodded.

"We're visiting my grandmother in two weeks. It's going to be weird, she doesn't like how "Americanized' I've become."

Catching the ball again, Dash snorted.

"What does that even mean?"

"I wish I knew. But until you see an old Asian woman give you a disapproving glare, you haven't understood true fear."

"Whatever, man." Dash shrugged, throwing the ball again. "All I know is this summer is going to be two months of chilling and relaxing and-"

"_Danny!_"

Turning at someone's voice shrieking, Dash glanced around as the sky shifted in color, the very life seeming to drain out of Amity Park as a cold chill sent a shudder through his body.

"Ah man, another ghost attack."

Kwan groaned, looking up as well as the same voice screamed again.

"_Danny_!"

Tracking the noise, Dash's eyes followed Sam Manson as she was carried through the air, the claws of a ghostly bat digging into her skin as it flew through the sky.

"Oh crap, they're picking off students!" Dash yelped, turning towards Kwan only to find the boy already running up ahead. "Great time to leave me, man."

He grumbled, starting off towards the field when another scream stopped him in his tracks.

"Get away!" Hesitating, Dash looked around before spotting Paulina hiding in a corner of the building, a disgusting creature hovering over her. "I'm too pretty to die!"

He started forward until his feet turning to lead as the creature looked his way, its eyes bleeding and protruding out of its head as the boy felt a chill run down his spine as he turned and ran the other way, trying to rid the demonic creature from his mind.

A blast sounded off behind him, and when he looked over his shoulder he saw Phantom hovering over her. Paulina had been right, hero material he was not.

-.-

"I'm surprised they're still doing this after the attack today."

Kwan sighed, leaning back on the bleachers and looking towards the stage.

"Do you think Phantom got the evite I sent him? I saved him a seat."

Paulina asked eagerly, resting a hand on the spot beside her as Dash scowled.

"He's a ghost, Sanchez, why would he like the same kind of music as us?"

"Because he's perfect and dreamy."

She smiled, staring off into space as the blonde frowned.

"Whatever. Why aren't they onstage yet?"

He complained, listening as people behind them groaned at having to move to make room for others. As the music picked up, people began stomping their feet and chanting the band's name, Dash's spirits lifting as he joined in with the shouting, cheering for the band to make their appearance.

As the curtains parted to reveal the stage, a giant egg sat in the center beneath a spotlight as the cheering grew louder. It was the band's personal touch, breaking free from an egg before every show.

Only as the egg cracked, the band wasn't revealed. Instead it spun around and displayed a horrifying maw, fangs dripping with bloody ectoplasm and eyes that gleamed angrily at the crowd. The cheering faded as a voice called out over the speakers.

"Are you kids ready to have a great summer?"

Cackling followed the voice before someone yelped and Dash looked around to see Sam and Tucker carried off towards the stage, this time by a ghoulish woman. Why they were always the ones to be taken he never understood, but he was glad it wasn't him in their position at that moment.

"Oh! Maybe Phantom will show up after all!"

Paulina gasped, clasping her hands together in excitement as Kwan shot him a confused look. Dash merely shrugged, the girl's fanatics beyond him as the voice spoke up again.

"Well, now that we have our guests of honor, all we need is a captive audience!"

On the stage beside a ghastly woman with spikes protruding from her skull was a shrimpy looking guy with pale skin and disturbing red eyes. With a wave of his hand, seatbelts appeared on the bleachers and wrapped around every member in the audience, pinning them to their seats.

"Hey, what the hell is this?"

Dash yelled, grabbing the belts while tugging and pulling at them to no avail.

"Shows over, Freakshow!"

"Oh! Phantom!"

Paulina squealed, clapping her hands together in glee as the ghost boy flew towards the man.

"Is it? I thought it had just begun!" In a single throw, the creepy man punched Phantom, sending the boy flying back into the crowd. "Time for the second act!"

Freakshow chortled, thrusting his hand to the drum kit as Dash stared in awe at the set transforming into a spiderlike creature.

"Wow, now that's pretty neat."

He mumbled, feeling Paulina's hand shove into his arm.

"He's trying to kill Phantom!"

"Yeah, I know, but that's kind of awesome do you see that? If I had that thing, I could pound so many losers!"

"Oh no!"

Ignoring his comment, Paulina stretched against her bindings and pointed across the field to where the ghost boy was caught in an ectoplasm net, struggling to free himself.

"Look! Sam Manson is fighting back!"

Kwan pointed at the stage again, their attention divided as Dash watched the Goth throw a book at Freakshow's head.

"What are they, stupid? Leave the fighting to Phantom!"

Paulina grumbled, slumping back and folding her arms as the ghost boy broke free and flew towards the other two kids. In a quick jump, Freakshow and the three are in the air, barely seen from where the crowd sat eagerly watching.

"News chopper is here too."

Kwan pointed again, their gaze shifting to where the helicopter tried to move in closer to the fighting.

"We get ghost attacks all the time, why are they always trying to turn it into some story?"

"Didn't they blame the last one on too many work strikes?"

Kwan asked as Dash frowned.

"How should I know? I don't watch that lame stuff."

Distant screaming once again pulled at their attention, the seatbelts that had previously been holding them captive now releasing and disappearing altogether as Sam and Tucker fell to the stage in a heap. There was a collective inhale as there was no movement, and fear pricked at Dash's skin. But as the dust cleared and he could see Sam moving, he felt a breath of relief leave him despite himself.

"Look! Phantom!"

Paulina gasped, pointing as the ghost boy fell towards the stage at high speed before hitting dead center and sending pieces of wood flying up around him. People were standing to their feet and trying to see and Dash did the same as the ghost boy stood on shaking legs and looked around in a daze, barely appearing conscious.

Two rings of light appeared around Phantom's waist and moved up and down his body as yet another gasp overtook the entire stadium. The boy seemed unaware of what happened at first as he looked down, his body half covered in blood before he was looking up again, this time in fear.

"Uhm, no one saw that, right?"

There was a beat of silence, no one quite believing what their eyes were looking at before Dash heard his own voice speaking out from the crowd in disbelief.

"Danny Fenturd is Danny Phantom?"

He couldn't believe it, the scrawny loser that he messed with on a daily basis was the ghost boy who saved Amity Park all the time? He couldn't seem to close his gaping mouth as Paulina jumped up beside him, eyes wide and smile large on her face.

"And he's totally infatuated with me! That makes things so much easier, for me!"

She squealed, and Dash had to wonder if it was his imagination or not the way the boy on the stage looked ready to hurl. The quarterback watched as the kids and faculty moved in closer, encroaching on Fenton and his friends as if preparing to attack them.

Suddenly Manson and Foley's involvement in everything made sense, as did Fenton always being late and falling asleep in class. But he was a ghost? How was that even possible?

He felt like his mind was reeling, unable to mix the two different personas together. Fenton was a screw up, he wasn't athletic and he was barely pulling a D in most of his classes. He was also the football team's personal punching bag and favorite pastime. And yet he was also the ghost boy who was confident and had powers and saved their town almost every day from one or more ghost attacks?

The two just didn't make sense when lined up together. And yet he'd seen it with his own eyes, that transformation. But did that mean he was a ghost, or only half of one? Or was he even a ghost at all? Maybe he was something else, some kind of alien, hybrid mix.

"Nobody move!"

A powerful voice cut through the crowds murmuring as two men dressed in white suits hovered over the stage with jetpacks while aiming large guns at the trio.

"Are they going to take Fenton?"

Kwan murmured as Dash's mind reeled.

"No, they're not." He stated firmly, feeling a mixture of disgust and pride well up in him as he turned to face his friend. "Gather the rest of the team and get to the locker rooms, but don't draw attention to yourself."

"What, why?"

"Because we're helping those losers out, obviously."

He scoffed, shoving at the boys shoulder as Paulina grabbed his arm.

"Oh! I want to help him too!"

"Alright, but we have to be quiet about it."

Dash warned, prying her fingers off his arm as he slipped through the crowd and headed for the locker rooms. It was a smaller building off the side of the school and close to the football field. If they were able to slip away, then they'd be able to hide them away there. But would they get away was the question.

He'd seen Phantom- _Fenton_ battle huge ghosts five times his size, but those looked like government guys, did he stand a chance against them with how beat up he'd looked? Plus, those guns were massive, and they seemed like the type to use them.

"They're coming!"

Paulina whispered hoarsely as she peered through the window where she'd been keeping watch.

"Cut the lights!"

He hissed, walking over to the window and watching as the trio made their way towards the building. He could tell they were talking, and as they stopped and Danny leaned back against the door, Dash murmured a quiet word before he pulled open the door and grabbed him, dragging him inside as Fenton let out a yelp. The half boy half ghost struggled against him, fighting to break free from the quarterback's tight grip as a hand smacked into Dash's face.

"Be quiet!"

Dash hissed as the door closed and he finally let go of the boy. Kwan flipped on the lights after making sure they were clear, and Dash stood proudly in front of the three of them as they realized they weren't in any danger. Snatching a towel from off a bench, Dash threw it towards Danny.

"Look alive, Fenton."

He stated, a smug smirk on his face as he glanced over the three of them. Up close he could see the damage that had been done from the fight they'd been in, scratches and cuts deep and bloody, though the half ghost had fared worse than the other two.

"Kinda hard when you're half dead, Dash."

Danny retorted, causing the group of jocks to laugh as a skeptical look crossed over the boy's face.

"You're funny, Fenton!"

Kwan chortled, nudging one of his buddies who nodded along as Dash rolled his eyes.

"Yeah.. So, you're helping me?"

Danny asked warily, looking over the faces of the football team careful as Dash stepped forwards.

"Well duh, you've only been helping us for like, ever."

He said as if the notion should be obvious. The boy seemed to be processing what he'd said, staring intently at the blonde as if he were waiting for him to punch him. And frankly, if he was anyone else he might've. Hell, he probably wouldn't have helped them at all.

But he'd been right about that whole saving them a bunch thing. With as many times as he'd beaten up Fenton, he was surprised he never retaliated with the powers he very obviously had. So in a way, he guessed he kinda owed him.

"Paulina Fenton! Hey! I can finally wrap my head around that idea!"

Paulina giggled, running over and planting a kiss to the boy's cheek and sealing his disbelief entirely as his hand fell from the bleeding cut on his arm and his eyes stared hard at the girl. Peering out the window again, Dash watched in the distance as the guys dressed in white looked around the area, hands ready on the large guns they carried.

"How are we supposed to get out of here? Those guys know you can't transform, so they know you're still nearby. It won't be long until they find us."

Sam pointed out, now holding the towel that was stained in a strange mixture of red and green blood.

"Leave that to us."

Dash boasted, puffing out his chest with pride as he made a signal to Kwan who excitedly disappeared into the back.

-.-

He had to admit, they looked pretty good. Although Foley really didn't have the same pep as the mascot usually did, it would be easy enough to fool the men out there.

"We should go, before they come in here and see you guys."

Dash warned, tossing a helmet at the ghost boy as Danny caught it easily. As the three of them finished getting ready, Kwan stood watch by one of the windows and made a motion when they were ready.

Striding to the door and glancing back to double check, Dash shut off the light and pulled open the door, marching outside with the football team and Paulina forming a line behind him, followed closely by the trio.

As they walked past the two men as inconspicuously as possible, Dash felt his breath hitching as they glanced their way before quickly losing interest in the group of kids that made their way past them. A few minutes later, once they were in the clear, Danny and Tucker were changing out of their disguises and handing them back to the jocks.

"Thanks for your help, Dash. I can't believe I'm about to say this but.. we couldn't have done this without you."

The ghost boy said, staring up at the blonde with a begrudging smile. Staring back at the scrawny raven haired boy, Dash could still barely believe he was actually Phantom. Even with bleeding cuts and haunted eyes, had he not seen the transformation for himself, he'd never have thought Fenton capable of such a thing.

"Just don't screw everything up, alright? Now that I know you're Phantom, you're actually a tiny bit cool." Dash muttered, folding his arms over his chest as the boy smirked, scratching the back of his head as he motioned behind him. "We'll keep them distracted for as long as possible."

He offered, watching as Danny beckoned for his friends.

"Thanks."

He nodded, the trio quickly disappearing into the trees as Kwan walked closer to Dash.

"How exactly are we going to do that?"

"We'll figure something out." Dash stated, feigning more confidence than he actually felt. "All we have to do is-"

"Is _what_?"

The sudden bellowing voice jolted the quarterback, his body whirling around and coming face to face with one of the men dressed in white.

"C-Clean the field." He stuttered out, clearing his throat before continuing. "As the home team, it's our responsibility to clean up after tonight."

He laughed nervously, hearing Kwan murmuring behind him.

"It is?"

Shooting his friend a dirty look, he heard the man in front of him grunt as the two exchanged a glance.

"Where's that cheerleader that was with you?"

The second man questioned, looking over the noticeably smaller group.

"I changed."

Paulina flashed a smile, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

"You know that ghost boy is dangerous, don't you? He's caused a lot of problems and we need to bring him in."

The first spoke slowly, keeping a hard look on Dash who struggled not to squirm. Was this how the kids he picked on felt?

"He's a hero to us."

Paulina shot back, crossing her arms and looking away as the second man sneered.

"He's a menace."

"Do any of you know where the ghost boy is?"

The first asked, his gaze never shifting from Dash who squared his shoulders and stared him in the eyes.

"We have no clue where he is."

Which was the truth, they helped them escape, but they had no idea where they would go.

"And even if we did, we'd never rat him out!"

Kwan spoke up as the group murmured their own defiance's against the two men.

"We don't have time for this. Freakshow has the Gauntlet and those kids know where the stones are."

The second man grumbled, his voice barely heard by Dash as the first shifted the gun in his hands and took a step closer to the teenager.

"One more time, son. Do you know where the Ghost Boy is?"

There's hesitation, Dash's eyes locked with ones that are nothing but dark hues hidden behind ridiculous sunglasses.

"Like I said, no clue." He said quietly, sending his own harsh glare their way as he pressed himself closer. "Doesn't matter anyway, if you couldn't grab them back there, what makes you think you'll stand a chance in finding them now?"

He asked, a triumphant smirk on his face as the man stared in silence before his gun was thrusting out, the butt of it striking the boy hard in the chest and knocking him to the ground, the air stolen from his lungs as he struggled to regain his breath. Kneeling down in front of the boy, the man's gun pressed against his arm as steely eyes gleamed from behind the dark frames.

"You think being smart is going to get you anywhere? I could arrest you for aiding and abetting."

"Leave him alone!" Paulina screamed, dropping down beside the quarterback as delicate hands wrapped around his arm. "We don't know where they went!"

"You helped them escape, didn't you?"

The man asked, focusing a hard glare on Paulina now as Dash wheezed out his next breath.

"Yeah, we did, because you were going to hurt him!"

"Pualina.."

Dash shook his head, freezing as the gun pressed against his arm.

"Stop it!" She yelled, scowling at him as she flipped her hair back. "They probably went back to his family's weird house, Fenton Works."

She spat out, turning her head and glowering at the ground as the men exchanged a look.

"Let's go."

The first barked, standing up and turning his back on the kids. As they walked away from the group, Dash grimaced and bit back a groan.

"Why'd you tell them that?"

He muttered, sitting up slowly as the girl frowned.

"Don't they have like, those crazy contraptions and stuff all over that house to protect them?"

She asked, standing up as he did as his arm wrapped around his chest.

"Yeah, I guess."

"They'll be fine. Phantom won't go down without a fight." She said firmly, a worried look flashing across her face before she's staring judgmentally at him. "But you, you couldn't protect yourself from a flea."

It's meant to be an insult, but there's no vigor in her words. Looking around their group, every face pale and eyes on the ground, Dash swallowed past the lump in his throat. None of them really stood a chance against those guys. But they'd offered the trio a little bit of time to make a plan, and maybe they wouldn't go back to his home.

"They better be alright," He muttered, staring at where they'd disappeared. "The losers."

* * *

_**PAULINA SANCHEZ**_

**-.-**

She had to look _perfect_. In fact, she had to look _better_ than perfect. Straightening her pink crop top and clipping the barrette in her hair, she picked up a newspaper clipping and smiled at it.

Would Phantom go to the concert? Would she see him there, maybe even have a few minutes alone with him? She sighed dreamily, setting the picture of the ghost boy down and glancing over her reflection carefully. It was the last day of school and she couldn't afford even a single hair out of place.

"Paulina! It's time to go!"

Her mother called from down the stairs as a small pout formed on the girls lips. If she saw him today, she was determined to talk to him. She was tired of all the back and forth. She was meant to be with him, she _knew_ she was.

-.-

She daydreamed about him a lot. She imagined him doing some form of ghostly patrol near the school and spotting her down there. She pictured him smiling and drifting down behind her and his voice surprising her out of her thoughts. She liked to think that he'd sweep her up and take her into the sky with him.

She had visions of him taking her away from all the annoyances of school and pathetic losers and taking her somewhere special, some place that would just be their spot. He'd lean in closer and he would take her hand, and then he would say-

"Hey, Paulina."

Blinking, the girl looked up and scowled at the jock standing over her, his hand next to her head as he smiled, waiting for her response.

"You're blocking my sun."

She said coolly, watching his smirk grow wider.

"You are my sun, Sanchez."

"Ew, get away from me, creep."

She grimaced, shoving her hands into his chest and pushing him away from her, her daydream now shattered to bits because of him.

"Come on, Paulina, I'm just having fun with you, learn to take a joke."

He complained as she rolled her eyes.

"Learn to take a shower, then we'll talk."

Turning her back to him, she heard her friend's voice speak up.

"Hi, Dash."

"Hey, Star." The jock muttered dismissively before turning back to Paulina. "So, what do you say, go to the concert with me?"

"As if," She scoffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder and glaring at him. "I told you before, I'm not interested."

"What, still trying to go after Phantom? What does he got that I don't?"

He asked, lifting his arms out as the girl rolled her eyes again and took a step away from him.

"He's a hero, something you're _not._"

She sneered, turning her nose up at him as he took on an offended look.

"Hey, I'm a hero for the football team."

He stated, the defense a poor one as she shoved away from him and walked past Star.

"Later."

She called, walking inside the building with her friend following close behind.

"Dash is like, so hot."

Star swooned, clutching her books tighter to her chest as Paulina scoffed.

"He's a jerk; I don't know why you're obsessed with him."

"I-I'm not obsessed!"

She cried, horrified eyes looking around as Paulina shot her a pointed glare.

"Don't be such a loser, Star. You can do better than Dash Baxter."

She huffed, marching into the classroom and setting her things down and getting settled before looking out the window while letting her mind wander back to her daydream.

Phantom was so much better than Dash was. Sure, Dash was cute. And he was popular which was like, totally essential. But he was a jerk, and Phantom, he was _kind_. He cared about the people and about saving them. Not that she particularly did, but he always made sure _she_ was safe, and that's what she really cared about.

Paulina finally looked up when she heard snickering, eyes drifting to the doorway where Danny Fenton and his two strange friends came stumbling inside the room, the black haired boy looking as if he hadn't slept in a week.

She watched the three for a moment before her eyes shifted back to the window, staring at the bright sky above. Danny was obsessed with her, thought everything she did was perfect. Why couldn't Phantom be the same? She thought he liked her, but he never stuck around for very long.

Why couldn't he see that they would be so great together? She was beautiful, smart, popular. And he was a hero. The hero _always_ got with the girl like her. So why was he wasting his time doing whatever it was he did instead of spending that time with her?

Paulina stared at the front where Mr. Lancer talked endlessly about some boring book written by some boring dead guy as usual and frowned. Why did no one seem to care that she was deep in thought over something important? Everyone was so selfish and self-absorbed; they just didn't care about anyone around them, especially her.

"Did anyone hear my question?"

Lancer's voice suddenly echoed, jolting the girl as she sat up straighter. Focusing on the teacher, she noted the red blotches on his face, the anger making him even more unattractive than usual. She could easily tell he'd never been popular in school either.

"Anyone? Foley, what's the answer?"

He demanded, calling out the techno loser as his phone suddenly dropped into his lap and wide eyes were staring at the teacher. Paulina watched as Valerie leaned forward from her seat behind him and murmured something in his ear before the boy sat up and shouted out an answer.

"The Netherlands!"

The room immediately erupted into chuckling as the boy's face reddened and Lancer glowered at the front of the room.

"Sense and Sensibility, Foley! Does this _look_ like Geography class to you?"

He questioned, his hand falling hard against his desk as he sighed.

"I-I, well-"

"Were any of you paying attention at all?"

He asked sharply, looking around the room as everyone fell silent and Paulina's eyes fell to her books. She had better things to do than listen to his drawl about old authors.

"Fine, since no one is interested in learning anything from me today, I'll let you go for the remainder of the period," He'd began, eyes wandering around the room as the students began to cheer. "Just make sure you pick up a Nasty Burger application on your way home today because that's what your future is going to look like without a decent education."

-.-

"What are your plans for the summer?"

Star asked, shoving her books inside her locker and turning to her friend as Paulina smirked.

"We're going to the beach, like always. What else is there to do? I refuse to stay in this town during the break."

She said smugly, walking to the front with Star trailing quickly behind as usual.

"Are you going to invite Phantom to the concert?"

She prodded, catching up to the girl and glancing over at her as Paulina pouted.

"I tried, but every time he's around he's always off fighting some ghost. Why can't they let him just spend some time with me!"

She groaned, stamping her foot on the ground as she looked across the field, spotting some of the football players throwing a ball back and forth and Fenton and his friends walking home.

"Does the sky look darker to you?"

Surveying the horizon, the previously bright cerulean hues were shifting to a deep midnight blue before Paulina's very eyes.

"Does it look like I care? I'm going back inside before it starts raining and it messes up my hair."

She scoffed, turning around and starting back inside before someone's scream stopped her.

"_Danny!_" Looking over her shoulder, she tried to find the source of the yell before she spotted Sam Manson rising higher in the air, a ghosts talons grasping tightly to her arms. "_Danny!_"

She screamed again, struggling against the ghost as Paulina stumbled back, shouts coming from numerous students now as they ran from the sudden ghost threat. Starting to run from the school, Paulina looked over her shoulder briefly, finding Star nowhere to be seen before she's turning back and a scream is echoing out of her.

Hovering right in front of her face was the most nightmarish creature squawking in a threatening tone, the fowl's eyes bulging from its skull while ectoplasmic blood dripped from its eyes as it moved in closer to her.

"Get away!" She shrieked, stumbling back into a corner of the building as she covered her face, her eyes closing tightly. "I'm too pretty to die!"

She screamed, her body shaking as she found herself hoping for the one person she knew could save her. She could feel the bird moving in closer, a freezing chill washing over her slight frame as a sudden blast echoed in her ears and she found herself looking up, eyes meeting glowing green as Phantom hovered over her, a triumphant smile on his face.

"Thank you, ghost boy!" She shouted, a wide grin rising to her face as she waved her hand at him. "I love you!"

The ghost displayed a strangely familiar dorky grin, his eyes locked onto hers as the Goth screamed again, her voice getting further away.

"Danny!"

The ghost boy's eyes drifted to the sky, worry scrawled across his face as another scream from a different student distracted him yet again and he flew off to handle the crisis.

Standing frozen, Paulina watched him fly away, her smile fading into a frown. He was always leaving, always helping other people. And she liked that about him, liked that he was a hero. But he couldn't take two seconds to talk to her? To say hello? He took the time to talk to others; everyone knew that he had a weird partnership with Tucker and that awful Goth. So what did they have that she didn't?

-.-

"Move!"

Paulina hissed, shoving at Star until there was an open seat between them on the bleachers. Shifting her attention eagerly towards the stage, the students were all waiting anxiously for the concert to begin. Looking to her left where Dash and Kwan were talking, she leaned a little closer.

"Do you think Phantom got the evite I sent him? I saved him a seat!"

She said eagerly, watching as Dash stared blankly at her.

"He's a ghost, Sanchez. Why would he like the same music as us?"

"Because he's perfect and dreamy."

She sighed, clasping her hands together and staring at the empty seat, already imagining him sitting there beside her.

"Whatever. Why aren't they on stage yet?"

Dash complained, leaning forwards as if doing so meant he could see where exactly the musicians were. As the crowd began to chant the band's name, Dash and Kwan loudly joined in while Paulina's foot tapped impatiently as she glanced to the empty seat yet again.

He would come, wouldn't he? She wasn't sure where else to send the invite too except for his fan page, but surely he would see it. After all, he liked her, didn't he? Of course he did, she was perfect for him. So where was he?

The cheering grew louder and Paulina focused her attention onto the stage, watching as the curtains pulled away and the giant egg stood on the platform. She secretly loved that part, where they would burst out of the egg and start the intro to their first song. But something was wrong this time.

Instead of coming out of the egg, it cracked and revealed a disgusting mouth filled with daggered teeth that dripped ectoplasm and eyes that stared hungrily out at the crowd. The cheering faded to silence as the speaker crackled and a voice shouted out into the crowd.

"Are you kids ready to have a great summer?"

She doesn't recognize the voice, but when someone yelped behind her, she turned to see Sam and Tucker in the hands of a ghostly woman, spikes protruding in a disgusting fashion from her head. They always seemed to be the ones that the ghosts went after, but then the realization hit her and she was clasping her hands together with an excited squeal.

"Oh! Maybe Phantom will show up after all!"

The voice interrupted again, laughter hidden behind his words.

"Well, now that we have our guests of honor, all we need is a captive audience!"

Standing beside the fluorescent apparition with _way_ too many tattoos stood a dwarfish man with red colored eyes and a freakish grin. Thrusting his hand out, straps that resembled seat belts appeared on the bleachers and wrapped tightly around each person, affectively forcing them into their seats.

"Hey, what the hell is this?"

Dash demanded, struggling against the binding.

"Show's over, Freakshow!"

"Oh, Phantom!"

Paulina cheered, clapping her hands together as she leaned forward in her seat, eyes glued to the ghost boy as he flew towards the man. She wondered if after all this if he would ever take _her_ flying up in the sky like that. Was it magical? She whole heartedly believed it was.

"Is it? I thought it had just begun!"

The dwarf cackled, pulling back his fist and slamming it into the ghost boys jaw, sending Phantom hurtling back to crash into the bleachers. Paulina covered her mouth with her hands, staring wide eyed at where the boy had gone, fear prickling her skin. Phantom never let anyone get hurt in these fights, but she'd never seen him take a beating, either.

"Time for the second act!"

Freakshow laughed, aiming his hand at the bands drum kit. A colored glow washed over it and transformed the stationary item into an arachnid, the metal and plastic twisting into a horrific concoction that creaked with every step.

"Wow, now that's pretty neat."

She heard Dash mumble beside her as she glared at him, her hand shoving as hard as she could into his arm.

"He's trying to kill Phantom!"

She yelled, as if the point wasn't obvious enough from the fight happening in front of their very eyes.

"Yeah, I know, but that's kind of awesome do you see that? If I had that thing, I could pound so many losers!"

She barely registered his comment as she watched Phantom fly back yet again, his limbs caught in an ectoplasmic net.

"Oh no!"

She cried, straining to break free from the belt holding her back. He couldn't stay down, could he?

"Look," Kwan yelled, pointing back towards the stage. "Sam Manson is fighting back!"

Paulina watched with a mild, _mild_, amount of awe as the Goth threw a book at the ring leaders head in an attempt to distract him.

"What are they, stupid? Leave the fighting to Phantom!"

Paulina scoffed, glancing around nervously in case anyone had seen her eagerly watching as she slumped in her seat and turned back to where the Ghost boy was still struggling to free himself. Why would he need any help from anyone else? He was capable of handling it himself if they'd only leave him be to do it.

"News chopper is here too."

Kwan spoke again as a helicopter hovered near the action and was reporting live on the fight taking place at the high school.

"We get ghost attacks all the time, why are they always trying to turn it into some story?"

Dash grumbled, staring at the craft in annoyance as Paulina quickly ran her hands through her hair, straightening any loose strands that might have been out of place.

"Didn't they blame the last one on too many work strikes?"

Kwan asked, causing both Dash and Paulina to look over at him. Who even bothered to watch the news? It's not like it ever held anything useful.

"How should I know? I don't watch that lame stuff."

Dash scoffed as distant screaming grew louder around them. Paulina glanced up to the sky, watching with her jaw dropped as Sam and Tucker fell to the stage, crashing into a heap on the platform.

There's a collective inhale as no one dared to move, Paulina barely even noticing that the seatbelt that had been holding her down was now gone. But where was Phantom? Looking around, she heard Dash let out a soft breath, and as she looked over she spotted Sam moving slowly. Which sure, was great. The Goth would live to annoy her another day. But _where _was-

"Phantom!"

Bright blue eyes followed the ghost boy's descent as his body hurtled towards the platform, hitting dead center and sending pieces of wood flying up around him. With her heart in her throat, Paulina was rising to her feet, desperate to see what had happened to her hero.

Through the dust that began to settle, Phantom was rising on shaking legs, a dazed expression on his face as he stood swaying before two strange rings of light appeared around his middle. In a single movement, the two rings traveled up and down over the boy's body, transforming Phantom from his torn up jumpsuit to that of jeans and a red and white t-shirt.

The entire crowd fell silent as the black haired boy steadied himself, piercing blue eyes looking out at the crowd before glancing down at himself, his body covered in a strange mixture of red and green blood. His confused expression morphed into one of fear and disbelief as his head jerked back up and words were stammering past his lips.

"Uhm, no one saw that, right?"

There was a beat of silence, no one quite believing what their eyes were showing them as Paulina struggled to contain her excitement. Phantom was Fenton. Danny Fenton. She didn't know how, and she really didn't care why. But standing on that stage was Danny Fenton, and he _was_ Phantom.

"Danny Fenturd is Danny Phantom?"

Dash exclaimed, the shock unbearable anymore as the crowd began to clamor, the first voice having broken the silence and allowing others to follow quickly in its wake. Paulina could barely contain her excitement, her heart racing as she stared at the unkempt and disheveled boy staring at the crowd in horror.

"And he's totally infatuated with me! Which makes things so much easier, for me!"

She squealed, lighting up even more as bright blue eyes landed on her, staring into her soul for a fleeting moment before Sam and Tucker were rising and standing in front of the beat up individual as the students and faculty began to move in closer, wanting a better look at the half ghost, half human who had saved them.

Paulina started to inch closer too, desperate to speak to him. How was he a ghost? How did he have such amazing powers? When would be the perfect date for their wedding? She had to admit though, he looked nauseas. He wavered on his feet, and he shrunk away from the crowd as if wishing he could flee. But why? Now that everyone knew, he was going to be _crazy _popular, just like her! They were going to be the perfect power couple, she just knew it.

"Nobody move!"

A commanding voice cut through the chatter as two men dressed in white suits holding large guns hovered over the crowd, glaring hatefully at Phantom- at Danny.

"Are they going to take Fenton?"

Kwan whispered, and Paulina felt her heart plummet. They couldn't take him, could they? Just because the government stuck their nose in everyone else's business didn't mean it belonged there. Especially not after she'd just found her soul mate.

"No, they're not." Dash muttered, his hands closing into fists as he frowned in thought. "Gather the rest of the team and get to the locker rooms, but don't draw attention to yourself."

He directed as Kwan hesitated, confusion scrawled across his face.

"What, why?"

"Because we're helping those losers out, obviously."

Dash rolled his eyes, shoving his hand into the boys arm as Paulina pushed closer to the jock, eyes wide and voice excited.

"Oh! I want to help him too!"

She would show him she was just as capable of being a hero, even if it meant having to tolerate that awful Goth and techno geek.

"Alright, but we have to be quiet about it."

He warned, prying her fingers off his arm before making his way through the crowds and towards the locker rooms.

"As if I can't be quiet."

The girl scoffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder and following after him, ignored entirely by everyone else. Normally she'd be furious about such a thing, especially when she looked as good as she did right then. But this was about Phantom- about Danny. And well, she'd benefit from this in the long run with him she was sure.

Following after Dash to a small building set aside from the field, Paulina scrunched up her nose in distaste at the smell as she stepped inside. Did no one know how to clean the place? It reeked of sweat and desperation.

Standing close to the door as lookout, Paulina stared out the window and waited impatiently for any sign of the three. Those guys in white, aside from their very obvious lack of taste in clothes and ridiculous desire to where sunglasses at night, looked harmless enough. But then again, if they were government, would Danny even stand a chance against them? And what if they actually meant to use those guns as more than just a threat?

Pressing her forehead against the glass, Paulina let out a small breath that fogged up the pane before fading away. Danny Fenton. Danny Phantom. Less mystery, more dorkiness. But he was Phantom, and Phantom was him. So she could overlook his awful friends, couldn't she?

And surely after hanging out with her for a while, he'd forget about them anyway. After all, who would need those losers when they could hang out with the popular crowd? Glancing back up again, Paulina spotted the trio running in their direction.

"They're coming!"

"Cut the lights!"

Dash hissed, the lights shutting off at his command as he crept closer to Paulina. They seemed to be discussing something outside, but as Danny leaned back against the door, Dash whispered a quiet word before the door was opening and he was dragging them inside.

Danny let out a yelp as he struggled to fight back, and the scuffling of feet and grouched words grew louder before Dash was hissing out a single "Be quiet!" Closing the door quickly once all three were inside, Kwan flipped the lights back on as the football team and Paulina stood in front of the banged up trio.

Up close, the half ghost looked even worse than he had on the stage. He was pale and had dark circles beneath his eyes, and the blood that continued to drip down his arm was a strange shade of crimson and fluorescent green mixed together in a gory fashion.

"Look alive, Fenton!"

Dash grinned, tossing a towel towards the boy as he caught it in midair, a confused expression clouding his features. Paulina had seen a lot of interactions between the two boys, but this was the first time he had ever not seemed pathetic in comparison to the quarterback.

"Kinda hard when you're half dead, Dash."

The boy retorted, the words leaving his mouth as his two friends exchanged a glance.

"You're funny, Fenton!"

Kwan laughed, bobbing his head up and down with another jock as the girl forced back a scowl. They were acting like idiots; didn't they realize he didn't care about any of them but her? The half ghost glanced around warily, as if expecting to be mobbed any moment as he held the towel against his arm.

"Yeah.. so, you're helping me?"

There's skepticism in his voice, and as Dash stepped forward the boy seemed to flinch, waiting for a punch he was sure had to be coming.

"Well duh, you've only been helping us for like, ever."

Dash scoffed, as if the very statement was unneeded. Ignoring the rest of them, Paulina ran forward finally, unable to wait any longer as she pressed her lips against the boy's pale cheek.

"Paulina Fenton! Hey! I can finally wrap my head around that idea!"

As she pulled away, she watched his hand fall from his arm, eyes staring hard and unblinking at her as she smiled sweetly. His skin had been clammy and frigid, the lack of warmth strange against her lips. But he was half ghost, so, she really should have expected it.

She heard a quiet mumble from Sam to Tucker but ignored it, staring back at the raven haired boy in excitement and awe as Sam marched over and yanked the towel from the boy's hand and pressed it firmly against his cut, making him flinch and blink a couple of times.

"Thanks, uhm, for the save and all."

He said, looking past Paulina as the girl fought the pout off her face. She hated that stupid Goth, they were having a moment and she _totally_ ruined it. Her hand twitched and her mind wandered to whether or not she could manage to pull him into the back before Sam's irritating lilt is once against distracting her.

"How are we supposed to get out of here? Those guys know you can't transform, so they know you're still nearby. It won't be long until they find us."

Blinking once Paulina started to speak, her hand reaching towards Danny as Dash stepped away from the window and puffed out his chest with a smug expression on his face.

"Leave that to us."

-.-

He looked _hot_. She wasn't sure when exactly Danny had started looking so cute, but he _really_ was. He stood off to the side speaking with his friends, the football uniform large on his sleight frame, and yet he was _still_ attractive.

His hair was messy, as it usually was, but every time he looked over at her, those blue eyes would sparkle and she would find herself imagining them turning green as he scooped her up and carried her away. The two of them would laugh together about the other people who _weren't_ dating a ghost hero, and then they'd land somewhere where people could see them but not interrupt and he would lean in and they would kiss and-

"We should go, before they come in here and see you guys."

Dash spoke, tossing a helmet towards the ghost boy who caught it easily and hefted it in his hands. Forcing her eyes away from the boy, she shifted them to the Goth who stood staring at herself in disgust.

"I want that back by Monday," Paulina snapped, studying her with a sneer. "_Minus_ the Goth sweat."

"We don't sweat, we simmer!"

Sam practically shouted, the sudden anger fueling the smaller girl as she pushed herself towards Paulina, hands balled into fists before Danny jumped forward, his hands grabbing at Sam's arms and pulling her closer to him, muttering something Paulina couldn't quite make out. Whatever it was though it did the trick, calming the girl down as she snatched up the pompoms and tugged her skirt down in annoyance.

Dash stood by the door, looking back and checking that everyone was ready before he shut off the light and tugged it open, striding outside with a line of jocks behind him, followed by Paulina, and the trio behind her.

They walked as quickly yet as inconspicuously as possible past the guys, the two men glancing over briefly and studying the group before returning to a conversation they seemed to be having, causing a soft sigh of relief to leave the girl as they hurried on.

After a few minutes of fast walking, the group was in the clear and Paulina watched the two boys quickly shed their disguises and hand them back to the jocks as the two groups separated.

"Thanks for your help, Dash. I can't believe I'm about to say this but.. we couldn't have done this without you."

Danny offered the quarterback a small smile and Dash crossed his arms, looking the boy up and down critically.

"Just don't screw everything up, alright? Now that I know you're Phantom, you're actually a tiny bit cool." Paulina smiled herself, waiting to meet the hero's eye once again before he left, waiting for him to say something to her, thank her for the big part she played in his rescue as well. "We'll keep them distracted as long as possible."

Dash motioned behind him as Danny nodded his head.

"Thanks."

He remarked, glancing at his two friends before they turned and headed deeper into the woods as the smile Paulina wore fell. Not a single thank you to her? She loaned that Goth her uniform. Her _uniform._ Did they not care about how sacred that was?

"How exactly are we going to do that?"

She heard Kwan ask as she folded her arms over her chest and scowled at the ground. Why was Sam always getting in the way of things? _She_ was the one meant to be with Phantom _not_ her.

"We'll figure something out." Dash shrugged. "All we have to do is-"

"Is _what_?"

A thundering voice demanded as Paulina jumped, turning her head and staring at the two men in shock.

"C-Clean the field." Dash stammered out, obviously caught off guard as he cleared his throat before speaking again. "As the home team, it's our responsibility to clean up after tonight."

He laughed nervously as Kwan spoke up behind him.

"It is?"

Dash turned, shooting his friend a dirty look as the two guys in white glanced at each.

"Where's that cheerleader that was with you?"

One of them asked, making a careful sweep over their noticeably smaller group.

"I changed."

Paulina heard herself say as she flipped her hair over her shoulder and flashed them a fake smile. She couldn't help it, even though she hated his friends, she still wanted to help him however she could. She supposed that was what love did to a person.

"You know that ghost boy is dangerous, don't you? He's caused a lot of problems and we need to bring him in."

The first man spoke slowly, a hard gaze firm on Dash as the boy's body twitched, his eyes locked with the man's.

"He's a hero to us."

Paulina snapped, glaring at the two as the second man sneered.

"He's a menace."

"Do any of you know where the ghost boy is?"

The first asked, never shifting his gaze away from Dash as the jock straightened his form and stared hard back.

"We have no idea where he is."

He shot back, his voice strong and clear now as Paulina watched quietly. Were they even allowed to do this? To question them like this?

"And even if we did, we'd never rat him out!"

Kwan informed them as the rest of the group murmured their own defiance's towards the men.

"We don't have time for this. Freakshow has the Gauntlet and those kids know where the stones are."

The second man grumbled, glaring directly at Paulina as the first took a step closer to Dash, adjusting the gun in his hands in a threatening manner as the girl's breath caught in her throat.

"One more time, son. Do you know where the ghost boy is?"

He asked slowly, his voice impossibly low as Paulina watched Dash move his face closer.

"Like I said, no clue," Smirking now, the blonde kept talking. "Doesn't matter anyway, if you couldn't grab them back there, what makes you think you'll stand a chance in finding them now?"

The first man fumed silently, his fingers tapping his gun a couple of times before he is thrusting it out in a fast and hard motion, the butt of it catching Dash square in the chest and forcing the boy to his knees as he struggled to regain the air that had been knocked out of him.

"You think being smart is going to get you anywhere? I could arrest you for aiding and abetting."

He prodded quietly while kneeling down as Paulina pushed herself forwards, anger surging through her.

"Leave him alone!" She cried out, dropping down beside the jock and wrapping her hands around his arm while casting the man a hateful glare. "We don't know where they went!"

"You helped them escape, didn't you?"

He questioned as Paulina swallowed thickly, wondering briefly if she insulted him in Spanish if he'd even understand her.

"Yeah, we did, because you were going to hurt him!"

"Paulina.."

Dash murmured, his voice hoarse as he shook his head, the man in white pressing the gun firmly against the boys arm as Paulina leaned forward.

"Stop it!" She yelled, glaring at him through his stupid sunglasses as she shoved her hair back. "They probably went back to his family's weird house, Fenton Works."

She spat out, glaring at the ground as she felt the man move away.

"Let's go."

He muttered, standing up as Paulina glared angrily at his back as the two men disappeared the same way they'd come.

"Why'd you tell them that?"

Dash muttered, sitting up with a grimace as she let go of his arm and sat back, a pout displayed on her lips. Was no one ever going to thank her for anything she did to help?

"Don't they have like, those crazy contraptions and stuff all over that house to protect them?"

She asked, watching as he started to stand.

"Yeah, I guess."

He admitted, his arm wrapping around his chest defensively.

"They'll be fine. Phantom won't go down without a fight."

She asserted, though the worry that was building within her put her off. He was a kid, just like the rest of them. If they didn't stand a chance against those guys, how could they? But, she'd also seen Phantom- Danny, take on ghosts way bigger than him, so he'd be fine, wouldn't he?

"But you, you couldn't protect yourself from a flea."

It's meant to be an insult, something to ease the tension of what happened, but there's no hate in her words, and everyone can tell.

"They better be alright," Dash murmured, looking around at his friends who all wore the same pallor expressions. "The losers."

* * *

_**MR**_**. **_**LANCER**_

-.-

He would never be over it. Every day he knew what he was walking into and yet it always surprised him. It never failed, not when he'd look at those papers and realize just how _stupid_ all of them were. He'd tried his best, he really had. But none of them cared, none of them _tried_ except for a select few. And even then, did a B really count as trying?

Dropping the paper with Fenton's name on it, Lancer sighed heavily and ran his hands down his face. Another F, another call to the boy's parents. On occasion he would manage a D, and every once in a blue moon he'd seen the boy pull a C.

But recently, he'd not even been trying to stay out of trouble. He was sleeping in class, he was showing up late or leaving early. And there seemed to be no getting through to him, either. It irritated him to no end. How could he not care about his future? Did it not matter that he might end up with no degree, no job, and living on the street someday because he couldn't afford a decent living?

He'd taught Jasmine, he'd never had any troubles with her except for her being a know it all. But she'd been brilliant, and when he'd heard another Fenton would be in his class well, he'd been overjoyed. Finally, another student who would put their best effort into what they did and strive to be the greatest.

But oh, had he not been prepared for the ultimate slacker that was one Daniel Fenton. Ever since the semester started he'd been fighting with that boy constantly. Just who did he think he was? Did he think he was too good for all of it? That he could actually get by without an education? It frustrated him every single day.

Pushing away from his desk, he stacked the papers off to the side and glanced at the clock. He still had time before the day started, so he would go outside and relish the fact that today was the last day he'd have to tolerate any of them before the summer began. And he was going to _enjoy_ his summer.

Him and mother, perhaps they would take a trip somewhere. Maybe to the beach or the mountains. Somewhere he wouldn't have to think about kids for a while.

Walking outside of the building and inhaling deeply the fresh air, the man smiled. Those kids thought the last day of school was exciting for them? Teachers loved it more, he was sure. Clasping his hands behind his back and walking around the building, he looked up at the clouds and practically grinned.

A trip, and maybe he'd even indulge in the collectors editions of his favorite books. After the last few months, he deserved something nice. And he wasn't going to-

"Perfect! Those losers won't know what hit them!"

Looking over at two of boys from the football team, his smile vanished. Kwan and Baxter were another two of his less than average students. Far less. In fact, the only reason they hadn't been cut from the team due to those grades was because of the principle. He'd tried, of course, but after arguments and threats and some of the worst parent teacher conferences of his life, he'd stopped trying.

"You boys need to be getting to class! And don't think I've forgotten about that report you still haven't given me, Kwan."

He called from the sidewalk, readjusting his bag as the two froze, their eyes finding him as Kwan stammered something out before running off, leaving Baxter holding a football by himself. Following after the Asian student, the teacher looked down at his watch before peering inside his classroom.

A few students had already gone inside and were talking in various groups, and seated in the middle was Valerie Gray, her body slumped against her desk and her head turned to stare out the window.

Now Gray, there was the top student in his class. She actually gave a damn about her homework and assignments. He'd heard in the teachers' lounge that her father had been struggling, and of course he'd seen the original story about it on the news. But she seemed to be bouncing back, slowly but surely. At the very least, her grades hadn't dropped even once.

He was about to walk inside when Kwan sped past him, apologizing hastily before sliding into his seat and digging out a notebook, quickly scrawling what Lancer assumed was his paper inside it. Heaving a sigh, he stopped, counting his students briefly before turning and walking back down the halls and towards the front doors of the building.

It was only a few minutes until class started, and he was still missing six of his students. Walking past Paulina Sanchez and Star, he ticked off two, and focused on the four that were left. The four that were _always_ left.

Walking onto the grounds, he moved slowly, surveying the various trees and the tables that were left unattended by the students who were actually inside. Pausing, he heard someone snickering and as he turned, he spotted three of his missing pupils standing in the yard talking. Walking closer, he watched as Fenton began moving backwards, talking in an animated fashion to his friends.

"-and done with and hope Lancer doesn't bore us to death on our last day."

The boy laughed as the man stopped, casting a disapproving glare at the trio as Sam Manson and Tucker Foley halted, their eyes widening as they met his harsh gaze.

"Uh, Danny-"

Sam began, grimacing as the boy stumbled back and bumped into the teacher, his body whirling around as wide blue eyes stared up at the vice principle in surprise.

"Mr. Fenton, how nice to see you actually bothered to show up today."

He spoke dryly, watching the sheepish expression that crawled across the boy's face as he scratched the back of his neck nervously.

"Mr. Lancer! I-I didn't see you there."

He stuttered, backing closer to his friends as the teacher scowled down at him.

"Obviously." He looked in annoyance towards the other two whose eyes quickly shifted away from his. "Ms. Manson, Mr. Foley. The bell is about to ring, and you wouldn't want to be late for my _boring_ class."

"We were just headed there! Right now actually! Right, Sam?"

Tucker quickly forced out, his hands falling on Sam's shoulders as she nodded along with him.

"Yeah! C'mon, Danny."

She urged, grabbing the boy's sleeve and tugging him behind them as they hurried towards the school.

Rolling his eyes, Lancer pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. Manson was another decent student, but hanging out with those two was a poor decision on her part.

Trudging inside the building after them, he stopped again when he found his last missing student at his locker, shoving items hastily inside his backpack.

"Ah, Mr. Baxter. Retrieving an assignment?"

He'd caught the boy off guard, the quarterback turning and staring up at his teacher.

"Uhm, no Sir."

"Good, then you're headed to my class, I presume?"

He saw the boy visibly wince, tugging at his backpack once before replying.

"Uh, yeah, sure.."

Turning around and marching back to his classroom, he tallied up his students again and noted the three still missing despite his previous encounter. Dash meandered towards his seat in the back, slouching down and glaring out the window as the teacher shook his head.

Just as the bell rang, Manson, Foley, and Fenton stumbled into the classroom, quickly finding their seats as the man began his lecture, counting down the minutes along with his students.

He was only fifteen minutes into his spiel when he noticed the lack of attention anyone had for him. Even Valerie, who would normally be taking notes, or Manson who would at the very least be staring in his direction, weren't paying attention. He paused in the middle of his sentence, waiting for someone to look at him and wonder why he'd cut off so abruptly, but no one did.

"No one is even listening to me."

He muttered, drumming his fingers on his desk as his eyes scanned the room before finally falling on Fenton, the boy once more half asleep in his classroom. Feeling his eye twitch, the man crossed his arms over his chest as the last straw broke.

"Who is the author of this novel that we've been discussing?" He asked, spotting two girls in the back on their phones, and another reading what appeared to be a comic book. "Did anyone hear my question?" He demanded, watching as multiple children jumped in their seats, wide eyes from all over turning to finally stare at him as he fumed. "Anyone?" No one spoke up, and his eyes darted to the one person who had yet to look up from his distraction. "Foley, what's the answer?"

He ordered, watching as the boy dropped his phone in his lap and stared up with eyes that resembled those of a deer caught in headlights. He stammered a couple of times, obviously trying to figure out what could've possibly been asked, when Valerie Gray shifted in her seat and the boy perked up.

"The Netherlands!"

He shouted out as the classroom erupted into snickering and Lancer felt his soul leave his body. These kids were so stupid it actually _hurt_.

"Sense and Sensibility, Foley! Does this _look_ like Geography class to you?"

"I-I, well-"

"Were any of you paying attention at all?" He barked out, eyeing everyone slowly as the room fell into complete silence. "Fine, since no one is interested in learning anything from me today, I'll let you go for the remainder of the period," He began, casting his eyes over everyone in the room as they began to cheer. "Just make sure you pick up a Nasty Burger application on your way home today because that's what your future is going to look like without a decent education."

-.-

He should've known how _long_ the day was going to be. The first and the last day of the semester was always the worst. The kids dreaded being there on the first day, and it was filled with getting to know everyone and setting up the curriculum and trying to peg who the trouble makers would be.

And on the last day the kids were anxious about going on break, about not having to worry about school or teachers or getting up early. They never did their homework on either day, so he never really bothered to give any out. It would only disappoint him more and really, there was only so much he could take.

Flipping a paper over into the stack beside him, he picked up an essay from Manson and read it over halfheartedly. He couldn't really complain about the kid's not paying attention, he'd barely gotten through his last two classes without losing his mind. Now if he could only finish the papers and send them out, he could get back to dreaming about his vacation.

He'd decided to leave the town for as long as he could. He didn't want to run into any students or aggravated parents or coworkers that would feel the need to talk endlessly about their own plans.

Pulling out a marker and circling a few paragraphs and underlining a word, he wrote the final grade at the top and set the paper aside before reviewing the next one. Leaning back in his chair and yawning, his eyes skimmed over the scrawled words and half-finished thoughts of Kwan before dropping the paper and rubbing at his eyes. It was getting dark, so maybe he'd get more work done at home where- Wait. Dark outside?

Sitting up and looking towards the window, the sky was onyx black, a stark difference from the bright blue it had been just an hour earlier. Only it wasn't even evening yet, so why was it so dark? Shivering as a cold chill hit him, a scowl settled on his face as he rose and looked outside, staring at the empty field before a group of kids ran past screaming.

"Damn ghosts."

He murmured, running a hand across his neck as he rolled his shoulder. He'd stayed in this town because it was _peaceful_. And it had always been, until the Fenton's and their ridiculous ghost hunting shenanigans got in the way and screwed everything up for the rest of them. Now their town was haunted by ghosts on a daily basis.

Granted, it was rare for permanent damage to be done to anything or anyone, mainly thanks to that ghost kid. Now Phantom seemed like a teenager Lancer could deal with. He was responsible, took care of his problems, as well as saved the town constantly. If only some of his students could behave the same way.

Walking away from the window as a bright blast lit up the world behind him, he began packing the papers and his laptop into his bag. Mother would be waiting for him at home, and he hated to be late because of another silly ghost attack.

So he decided to go out the back and avoid the rest of the faculty and the ghost altogether. If he was lucky, no one would pester him about that concert either, and he'd be left alone in peace to plan his vacation.

-.-

"Mother, I'm home."

The man called, closing the door with a heavy sigh as he dropped his bag to the ground and stretched out his arms.

"Mother?" He questioned, walking into the living room and looking at the chair she usually sat in, only to find it empty. "Bingo night."

He said aloud, realizing he wasn't going to see his mother until quite a bit later, which really, was fine by him. Collapsing into his own chair and turning on the television for background noise, he flipped through a book he'd been reading and half listened to the drone of a reporter talking about the attack on the school earlier and the concert that would be starting soon.

He looked up at one point as the sound of a cheering crowd got to be too loud, and he turned it down before returning to his book. Just as Lancer was beginning to become immersed again a shrill tone echoed from his television.

Glancing up, he stared at the screen which displayed a red banner and the words _**'breaking news'**_ on it. Lowering his book and turning it up again, he watched as a young woman took the screen.

"This is Natalia Morgan reporting from Amity Park high school where it seems _another_ ghost attack has broken out by the same ghost as earlier. Only this time, she's not alone. Accompanied by a man who calls himself 'Freakshow' they have taken the audience captive in the stadium."

The camera shifted to a view of the stadium's bleachers, the students in attendance held down by thick leather straps.

"We've got sightings of Amity Park's own ghost hero, Phantom, currently on the scene! Let's watch and see how the fight goes down."

The camera moved again to find the ghost boy, his black and white suit a blur as he sped towards the stage only to be sent hurtling backwards into the crowd, Lancer wincing at the crash.

"This town will never be normal."

He sighed, placing his book on the table beside his chair and rising, making his way into the kitchen as he began to pull out his leftovers from his meal the night before. Scooping the pasta onto a plate, he set it in the microwave as the reporters voice droned on from the other room.

"It appears as though Phantom might have bit off more than he can chew this time, I'm really not sure if he'll break free from this one."

Rolling his eyes, he pushed a couple of buttons and watched as the food spun around in the machine.

"Just once I'd like an evening without a ghost attack to worry about. Colorado doesn't have problems like these, they're normal."

He muttered to himself, a hand running down his face as the pitch of the woman's voice rose.

"Two students who were taken captive earlier are now fighting back, no, I'm not sure about their names but they're in the air and they're falling!"

Moving back into the other room, sharp eyes watched intently as two familiar kids and the ghost boy himself clung desperately to a man's arm in midair.

"Manson? Foley?"

His voice barked out as if they could hear him, his food forgotten as he moved forwards to turn up the television so nothing could be missed.

"We've gotten reports that the two student's names are Samantha Manson and Tucker Foley."

"What are you kids doing?"

Lancer gaped, watching as the three of them flew up into the air again before falling and grabbing ahold of some strange, metal looking gauntlet. The microwave let out a long beep as his head turned, distracted briefly as a gasp overtook the crowd and he was looking back in horror as Sam and Tucker fell to the stage, landing in a heap on the wood.

"No." He breathed, reaching for his phone and punching in a number. He was about to call when he saw Sam moving, her head tilting as she sat up slowly, followed by a groan from Foley. "Oh God, oh you're okay."

He murmured, a hand covering his mouth as he let out a slow breath, the adrenaline slowing as he watched the ghost boy hurtling towards the stage next. He was going at a faster speed than the others, and as he hit, pieces of wood broke and flew up around him as the camera zoomed in.

Lancer was directly in front of the television set as he watched the dust settle and Phantom rising slowly. He looked awful, bloodied and beaten and dazed. The ghost boy's eyes peered around for a moment, not seeming all the way there before two grainy rings appeared around his midsection and moved up and down, changing the ghost from his jumpsuit into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

White hair changed to black and green eyes shifted to a familiar blue. His dazed expression still remained, and it's one Lancer had seen on more than one occasion when having to wake a sleeping student up from his mid class nap.

"Fenton?"

His world is spinning as blue eyes widen, fear crossing over the boy's face as he stammered something out Lancer couldn't hear. Daniel Fenton was the ghost boy. Daniel Fenton, the slacker, the lazy student, the tarty trouble maker, _he_ was Amity Park's hero?

Backing up, he dropped into his chair and stared in shock at the television, the reporter speaking in an anxious voice as the cameras zoomed out and displayed the student body approaching the stage in a mass wave.

How could Daniel Fenton be a _ghost_? He knew his parents did some weird shit, and there was more than one occasion he'd not called them in solely because he didn't want to deal with them. But how was it possible? Did they experiment on their own child? The thought sickened him, but he couldn't come up with any other reasonable answer.

But suddenly, so many things made sense. The bags constantly under Danny's eyes, all the times he fell asleep in class. He'd read the news articles, Phantom handled ghost attacks into all hours of the night. The failing grades, the lackluster papers. His tardiness, his pure disregard for any of the rules that were set.

He was living an entirely different life on the side. The boy was fourteen years old. _Fourteen_, and he had the weight of the town on his shoulders. Who thought that was remotely okay at all? Did his sister even know? Obviously his friends knew, but who else?

Blinking a couple of times, he watched as two men partially blocked the camera, the barrel of a gun aimed at Fenton before the feed cut off abruptly and Lancer was left staring at the inside of a studio.

What the hell had happened? He knew there were different groups trying to put a stop to Phantom, though he had no idea as to why. The kid had saved the town dozens of times, and had saved hundreds of lives over the past few months.

Phantom, Fenton. A child. His student. He'd seen the beatings Phantom took, he'd seen the stories and the news reports. No wonder the boy was always tired and looked half dead. God, he _was_ half dead. Or was he entirely dead? Was he a full ghost, or only part?

His head was swimming, and as he made his way back into the kitchen he avoided the microwave altogether and went straight for the liquor cabinet. Pulling out a bottle of scotch, he poured some into a glass and downed it quickly, before pouring a second. Now he really had seen it all.

* * *

**VALERIE GRAY**

**-.-**

"_I don't care why you did it, I told you not too and you disobeyed, so you're grounded!"_

"_That's not fair! Its summer!"_

"_Maybe next time I tell you to leave something alone, you'll listen."_

Rolling her eyes as she turned the music up louder, Valerie tugged on her backpack strap and walked faster towards the school building. Her father had been totally unfair about the other night. She had a responsibility to her job, why couldn't he see that? It wasn't like she went joyriding like other kids, she didn't even do drugs.

But catching ghosts, especially Phantom, was her _purpose_ she knew it was. She had all the tech, and she was always safe about it. At least she tried to be. He just didn't understand the drive she had to get the job done.

She'd never let her grades drop, she still helped out her grandmother, and damnit she deserved some credit for how well she'd handled his job situation, because that had affected her just as much as it had him.

As she walked into the school yard, various groups of students were hanging around talking with each other, but she bypassed all of them. She didn't have as many friends anymore, not after being shunned by the 'populars' and left in the dirt.

Walking inside the building and towards her locker, her eyes flickered over to the one down and across the way, eyes lingering on the empty space. She did that every morning, like some stupid ritual. And she knew every single time he wouldn't be there, Danny was _always_ late. It was like his thing. Late, uncoordinated, and dorky.

Dropping her gaze and messing with her lock, her teeth caught ahold of her bottom lip. He was all of those things, and yet she still had feelings for him. She'd been the one to end it, she was well aware of that. But that didn't mean she didn't still _care_. He was different from all the other guys. He was sincere and fun and kind've a goofball but he was cute, too.

Everyone made fun of him for being a loser just because he wasn't athletic, and he really had just terrible grades. But he was kind, and even though Sam Manson was totally judgmental, his friends weren't too terrible either.

Opening her locker and stuffing a couple of her books inside, she pulled out a notebook and closed the door. She was always here early, but today especially so. She wanted out of the house, wanted to avoid speaking to her father. She wasn't even allowed at the concert after trying to sneak out.

"_We can watch it together at home."_

He'd said, but that was the lamest thing ever. Maybe she could convince him over the summer that what she was doing really was important. Not just to her, but to Amity Park as a whole. Phantom was a menace, trouble and danger followed him everywhere he went but no one else could see that.

The news painted him as a hero, the students idolized him, and the people clapped when he flew by. But she'd seen the _real_ him. The one who caused trouble and then tried to fix it just to make himself seem caring and helpful. She'd seen him hurt people and destroy things. He was a nuisance and he had to be stopped. Vlad Masters believed in her, so why couldn't her own father?

Sliding into her seat in the empty classroom, she slowly unpacked her bag, setting her notebook and pencil on the desk before changing the song playing in her ears. She sat like that for a while, listening to music and thinking.

One day, she'd be the town's true hero. The best ghost hunter in the world even. She'd upgrade her tech, her suit would be even more fabulous, and Phantom would be brought down by her own two hands.

As students began filing into the room she pulled the ear buds out and stuffed them in her pocket, watching as Dash Baxter trudged inside followed soon after by Danny, Tucker, and Sam right as the bell went off.

Her eyes trailed after the black haired boy, watching his tired frame slouch down in his seat. She'd wondered about that often. She'd met his family once before, and they had seemed, nice? Not cruel, at the very least. So she didn't think they were the cause of his problems. Not like a lot of other people thought.

But she did wonder if he'd gotten mixed up in their strange ghost experiments from time to time. For months now he'd been tired and only half there, like his mind was somewhere else entirely. Not that she could really blame him, so was hers half the time. But that only made her more suspicious, because if she was like that in her ghost hunting, why was he?

But then again, she liked that about him. The mystery, the intrigue. The crazy, weird weapons his parents made. In fact, if things hadn't-

"Did anyone hear my question?" Mr. Lancer's roaring voice jolted the girl back to reality, blinking once as she stared up at the man who was glaring in frustration at his class. "Anyone? Foley, what's the answer?"

She could hear the boy in front of her stuttering, trying to come up with anything suitable for the question that was asked as the girl leaned forwards a fraction.

"The Netherlands."

She whispered, watching as the boy perked up and yelled out the answer.

"The Netherlands!"

The entire class cracked up, the response seeming to dawn on the boy as he slouched back down, the back of his neck turning a shade darker as Valerie hid a smirk. Okay, maybe she wasn't as much of a fan of Danny's friends as she wanted to believe.

"Sense and Sensibility, Foley! Does this _look_ like Geography class to you?"

Mr. Lancer exclaimed, his hand falling on his desk as he scowled at the students.

"I-I, well-"

"Were any of you paying attention at all?"

He demanded, and Valerie found her gaze shifting to her desk. Did he really expect anyone to be able to focus today? It was the last day of school, and for most that meant excitement and freedom. Unfortunately for her, it meant two weeks locked behind her bedroom door trying to figure out more ways of escaping her father's smothering concern.

"Fine, since no one is interested in learning anything from me today, I'll let you go for the remainder of the period,"

There's cheering as kids shift in their seats and began packing away their things, Valerie's eyes moving to Danny who looked over at Sam with a smile. He used to smile at her like that.

"Just make sure you pick up a Nasty Burger application on your way home today because that's what your future is going to look like without a decent education."

-.-

Most of the students had bolted the second the bell rang, but she'd taken the opportunity to stick around, finish her notes, and try to sneak into the lab. From her last ghost encounter, she'd managed to snag some ectoplasm, and she wanted to test it.

If she could figure out a way to make weapons like the Fenton's did, where they actually harnessed and used ectoenergy, then maybe she'd stand a better chance against some of the other ghosts that frequented their town.

She waited until the teachers were gone before she darted inside, grabbing the essentials and moving to the furthest table away from the door, hiding as much out of sight as she could.

She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket but ignored it, already knowing it was her father checking up on her. She'd told him she would have after school work, which would give her about half an hour before he really started to pester her.

She worked carefully, taking small amounts of the ectoplasm and placing it in various petri dishes before placing a tiny amount on a slide and looking at it under the microscope. If she could get a decent grasp on the molecular biology of it, she'd stand a better chance of making a working weapon.

She'd wanted to go to Vlad Masters for help, but something about that guy put her off. He was creepy, and strangely fascinated with Phantom. Not that she could really say she was any different, she wanted nothing more than to get her hands on the ghost boy and personally put an end to his reign in Amity Park.

Pulling away from the microscope and jotting down a note, she went to take the next sample when a loud crash made her jump in her seat, eyes darting frantically to the window. She hadn't realized the daylight fading from the room, but outside it looked like the dead of night.

Getting up and walking to the large pane, Valerie stared out at the sheer chaos in the school yard. Kids were running in panic away from apparitions of different creatures, bats and birds and snakes nipping at heels and pulling at hair.

She heard a shrill scream, and a blast of ectoplasm flashed in the sky before she began shoving her samples into her bag and taking off through the halls. She didn't have her suit and she didn't have her hover board, but that wouldn't stop her. People were in danger and she knew she could help them. Besides, she still had ten minutes before he showed up.

Students were pushing past her as she neared the doors, seeking safety inside the building that they'd previously sought to escape from as she shoved away from them, the freezing chill from the sudden shift in temperature making her shudder.

Most of the students had evacuated the school yard, though she could see Paulina Sanchez waving frantically up at the sky. Tilting her head to follow the girl's gaze, she spotted the ghost boy zipping through the air after two figures carried by more of the glowing specters.

Slinging her bag up over her shoulder, she started after them on foot, taking quick steps across the yard before the loud drone of a car's horn had dread filling her stomach. She shouldn't turn, she shouldn't turn, _she shouldn't_-

"Valerie Gray, get in this car _right now_!"

Turning to look over her shoulder, she saw her father next to the curb staring angrily at her, his hand resting on the car horn in a silent threat as her hands tightened into fists. Why did he have to do that? Why did he have to ruin _everything_?

"Valerie, get in this car or you're grounded until next summer!"

He yelled out the window, his tone serious as her entire body slumped and she trudged to the vehicle.

"What were you thinking young lady?" He started in the moment she slid into the front seat, dropping her bag at her feet and tugging her seatbelt in place. "Didn't I tell you to come home right after school? You're testing your limits, Val."

"There was a ghost attack, what was I supposed to do?"

She grumbled, turning to the door and staring out the window as he pulled away from the school.

"What were you supposed to do? You were _supposed_ to come home like I told you too. You have got to stop it with this insane obsession you have with these ghosts! You're going to get yourself hurt one of these days."

"Not if you gave me back my suit."

She muttered under her breath, though judging from the sharp intake of breath from her father, she got the sense he had heard her.

"That _suit_ is just one of the issues. Don't you understand what all this is doing to you?"

"What's it doing to me, dad?" She scoffed, turning to glare at him. "It's a _hobby_ alright? You have hobbies! My grades haven't fallen, I help out around the house and when I can find part time jobs, I do those too! What more do you want from me? That makes me _happy_ don't you get that?"

"Valerie it's _dangerous_ and you can't seem to understand that. You were almost killed once already that I know about, but who knows what else you're hiding from me? Look I know it's been hard, I know that without your mom you-"

"Don't bring her into this. Don't do that."

She cut him off, all the fight and anger leaving her voice as she looked away again, refusing to say another word.

"Val.."

He trailed off, a weary sigh leading into the sound of tires across pavement and the occasional clicking of the blinkers as the tense silence stretched on. Yeah, her summer was starting off just _great_.

-.-

"Are you sure?"

"For the eighth time, yeah, I'm sure."

She called through her door, staring up at her ceiling in disgust as his footsteps disappeared down the hall. What was the point in watching the concert on TV? The cool thing about it was going to see them live with friends. Not that she actually _had_ any friends anymore, but that was beside the point.

She was pathetic enough as it was; she didn't need to be 'watching a concert on TV with her dad' kind of pathetic. Besides, she was pretty sure he was only offering so he could keep an eye on her.

Moving her hand across her comforter she turned her head to stare at the laptop on her desk, the screen saver moving slowly across the screen. At this point she might as well get the summer assignments out of the way since she would have nothing else to do for the next couple of weeks.

"Stupid ghosts."

She grumbled, sitting up and grabbing her bag, tugging it up next to her and digging out her notebook and the container of ectoplasm she'd shoved in. The lid hadn't been fully sealed in her haste earlier, and as her hand wrapped around the dish she grimaced at the green goo that coated her skin.

"Oh, gross! Gross, gross, gross!"

She gagged, jumping up and running into her bathroom to wash it off. It wasn't as if she could accurately test it now, not with lint and paper bits and her DNA all over it. Watching as the fluorescent goop washed down her drain, she moved her fingers under the warm water slowly.

What was she going to do once the two weeks were up? Her father had locked her suit away, and though she'd already picked the lock and hacked into the security system on multiple occasions, she knew she couldn't keep getting away with it. Maybe she could convince him? No, she doubted that. After what happened to her mother, he hated letting her do anything even remotely dangerous.

Shutting off the water and walking back into her bedroom, she slid into her chair and moved her mouse, watching as her screen brightened and the fan in her computer sped up. Going to her search engine and typing in the news station, she pulled up the live feed from the concert and turned off the sound.

Moving the window to the side, she pulled up another search bar and began looking up the necessary details for one of her assignments. She looked over occasionally, watching the cheering crowds and the camera panning over the stage while waiting for the band to appear.

It wasn't even that she liked Dumpty Humpty, but the fact that he hadn't let her go that had made her mad. He always chose the worst times to punish her. Getting up to retrieve her notebook from her bed, she looked inside her bag and grimaced at residual ectoplasm that had seeped into the sides and stained the fabric a disgusting shade of green.

She took a few minutes to remove the rest of the items before carrying the bag into her bathroom and trying to scrub out the spot. It wasn't like they could afford to get her a new bag right now anyway, and there was no way she was putting anything back in it until that stuff was gone.

By the time she was done and had left the bag to dry, the camera was on the crowd once more. She turned to begin typing again before her eyes flickered back to the feed, the cheering having died down and the crowd looking.. worried? Turning up the sound and making it fill the screen, her eyes widened at the fight now happening in front of her.

"-captive earlier are now fighting back, no, I'm not sure about their names but they're in the air and they're falling!"

The reporter sounded worried as Valerie watched Sam and Tucker fall through the air before latching onto a strange man's metal arm as he hovered in the sky.

"What the hell? Get closer!"

She urged the camera, the picture poor on her screen as she leaned forward, spotting the ghost boy dangling from the man's arm too. He looked creepy, that guy. With bright red eyes she could see even from that distance and a disgusting scowl.

"We've gotten reports that the two student's names are Sam Manson and Tucker Foley."

The reporter's voice was back as Valerie gripped her desk. Why were they involved? Why were those two always involved whenever a ghost attack happened? They rarely ran, and were almost always at the heart of every fight. Did they have a death wish, or were they just obsessed with the ghost boy like Paulina? And why was it _their_ parents never said anything about them getting involved in such dangerous things?

She minimized the screen to scroll through the live comments when a gasp from the feed grabbed her attention, her body half rising from her chair as Sam and Tucker fell through the air again, this time falling into a heap onto the stage.

"No.."

She gasped, her breath hitching as her heart raced. She may not have liked Sam, and Tucker was a little weirdo, but they didn't deserve..

"Please.."

She whispered, the camera frozen on the two of them as Sam sat up slowly and Tucker let out a low groan. Sitting back in her chair, her hand covered her mouth as she breathed slowly, working to calm her racing heart.

Two ghost attacks in one day, maybe this would be enough to show her father that Amity Park needed her. Though knowing him, after watching the two fall from the sky he would just lock her in her room and start homeschooling her instead.

She'd just starting to regain her breath when the camera panned to the ghost boy, following his own descent as he fell, crashing hard into the platform where splintered pieces of wood flew up around him.

Valerie watched intently, eyes scanning for any movement as the ghost boy slowly stood and the camera zoomed in. He looked awful, his body beaten and bruised with blood dripping from different injuries. And as the camera grew closer he seemed dazed, his body swaying as if he were barely standing.

She hated him with everything in her, but there was the smallest twinge of sympathy as she watched.

She expected him to fly away, or wait for cheering. What she didn't expect were two rings of light to appear around his body, moving up and down simultaneously and changing the ghost boy's jumpsuit into familiar jeans and t-shirt.

Snow white hair changed to pure black, and weary green eyes shifted to a sparkling, albeit pained, blue. Valerie was out of her chair and stumbling back from the screen, watching as the boy blinked a couple of times and came to his senses, looking around the stadium in confusion and fear.

"Uhm, no one saw that, right?"

"Oh my God, Danny." She whispered, her heart in her throat as she shook her head over and over. "Danny.. You're Danny.. You're.. No. No!"

She yelled, her hands running through her hair as she stared hard at the screen, tears burning her eyes. How? How was that possible? How was Danny the ghost boy? _How_? All the times she tried to stop him, tried to _kill_ him. Oh God.

She'd given up Danny to hunt the ghost boy, and he knew that. Oh God, oh _God_ he'd helped her as Phantom before. He'd protected her. Tried to convince her he was on her side and she refused to believe him. She thought he was a menace. She wanted to _destroy_ him.

Her heart beat faster, a sick feeling rising in her chest. She'd dated a ghost. She'd _kissed_ a ghost. But he was Danny. So.. Not a full ghost? She'd always thought it was weird how the boy was always cold. When she'd hold his hand he would just give her that awkward little laugh and say how he was meant to be a lizard living in Arizona.

All the times he'd randomly disappeared. It all started to make sense. Sam and Tucker.. no _wonder_ they were always involved, they helped him. Which meant they knew. They knew Danny was a ghost. Danny was a ghost. Daniel Fenton was a _ghost_.

Was that why Vlad Masters was so obsessed with him? But wait, his parents were always trying to hunt Phantom down, so that meant they didn't know. How could they not know their son was a _ghost_? Or at the very least half of one. He seemed human. His heart beat, he had a pulse. He had feelings and he got anxious and nervous and he'd dated her and she'd seen pictures of him as a kid but.. How? How was any of that possible?

Really looking at the computer now, the camera had zoomed out, showing the mass of students and faculty flocking the stage as Sam and Tucker pushed Danny behind them in an effort to protect him. Danny was Phantom, and Phantom was Danny. She couldn't get her head around it.

But as two men partially blocked the cameras and the sight of a gun on Danny hit Valerie, she's was no longer thinking, only acting on impulse as she grabbed her phone, watching as the camera faded to black and the picture changed to a man in a studio. Shoving the device in her pocket she bolted down the stairs two at a time and already had the front door partially open when her father's voice brought her to a halt.

"And where do you think you're going?"

Cursing quietly, she looked over her shoulder and met his prying eyes.

"Dad, you've gotta let me go. I can't explain it right now but Danny needs my help."

She watched as his expression softened, the man walking closer to her before his hand is above her head and he was pushing the door closed.

"I saw."

"So you know I have to go!"

"Valerie, those men, they were with the government. Right now, there's nothing you can do for him."

"Dad I have to go!"

She pleaded as she gripped the doorknob tighter.

"Valerie, I need you to listen to me, really listen." Bending down, his hands rested on her shoulders as he moved her to face him. "Whatever Danny is, whatever is going on, you _cannot_ get involved. Those men are not to be messed with, do you understand me? They won't hurt him, and I'm sure his parents are being called right now to go with him. I know you want to help but Val, there's not anything you can do. He'd be gone before you even got there."

"But-"

"Valerie, please. I promise you that the minute things are sorted you can see him. But you have to trust me right now and do as I say. Stay here and let things play out."

More tears burned in the girl's eyes as she looked away, jaw locking as his hands pulled away from her. Without another word she trudged up the stairs back to her room. She knew what he said was true, there was no way she'd get there in time to meet him, or help him.

Pulling out her phone and dialing a number, she held it to her ear before closing her bedroom door, listing to the phone ring. But she still wanted answers, and not knowing was going to kill her. So she was going to call the one person who could tell her what the hell was going on.

"Mr. Master's? It's Valerie Gray, we need to talk."

* * *

**A/N**

**Wow that took so many different turns and it took waaaaaay longer to write than I'd anticipated. I'm not really sure I captured everyone's characters perfectly, but it was fun writing everyone's different personalities. I could've gone a lot more in depth with things but I really didn't have the mental fortitude right now, so maybe I'll edit the chapter at the end of things. Hopefully updates will be a bit more frequent now, but until then I hope you guys liked this bonus chapter! Any reviews are always super welcome and appreciated as well!**


	10. 10 - Jack

They just wouldn't _budge_. Jack Fenton had been working with heavy machinery for years, yet he couldn't get those bars to shift. If he could just move them a couple of inches, just enough for his daughter to squeeze through, that would be enough for him.

"Jack, dear, stop before you hurt yourself."

The sound of his wife's voice was soft and sweet, her hand resting gently on his bicep as he pulled away from the bars that held them captive and stared down at her. She was trying to maintain a smile for their sake, trying to keep things looking positive, but he could see the fear behind her mask. And really, he was scared too. They'd never been put in this situation before, and he hadn't even been able to protect Jasmine from it all.

And then there was Danny, his son. His _half ghost_ son. He still couldn't get his head wrapped around that idea. His son was the ghost boy. He had powers, he was half dead. Was that possible? But he'd seen Phantom with his own eyes on multiple occasions. So, it was possible, but how had it happened? And why hadn't Danny ever told them? They were confused and scared and worried, and Jasmine wouldn't even look at either one of them.

Leaning back against the bars, Jack pulled his wife closer until she was pressed into his chest and his arms were wrapped tightly around her. Staring past her at the other side of the cage they were trapped in, his daughter sat by herself, arms wrapped around her knees and eyes staring up at the sky.

He'd failed both his children, hadn't he? Not only that, he'd failed the families of his son's friends. Glancing to the right, he looked at the other two cages that were lined up beside theirs that held the Manson's and the Foley's. He didn't care for either of those couples, but he also hadn't intended on getting them drug into all of this.

Dropping his head, he could feel the steady beat of Maddie's heart and could feel the guilt ripping at his own. How would he solve any of this? He had no weapons, no workshop, hell, that Freakshow guy wasn't even a ghost. He couldn't break out, and he had no way to contact anyone.

Freakshow wanted Danny for some reason, but he couldn't leave their fates up to his teenage son, that was ridiculous. And yet there was nothing that could be done. Jack felt Maddie pull away, her hands resting on his arms as she stared at the ground, her body trembling.

"She won't speak to us."

She murmured quietly, turning her head a fraction towards their daughter as Jack frowned.

"Is she angry we were captured?"

"I think it's about Danny." She shook her head, closing her eyes tightly and pushing her forehead against his chest. "I'm worried about him, Jack. He's just a kid."

"I know, I am too. But he'll be okay, you've seen what he can do as Phantom."

"That's what worries me!" She cried out, pushing away from him and shaking her head. "He's _fourteen_, Jack, and look at all the fighting he's had to do. He should never have had to do any of that! Why couldn't he have just told us?"

She asked as Jasmine scoffed from the corner. Looking at the girl, Jack started to speak when another voice behind him distracted him.

"This is all your fault, Fenton. I'm not surprised your son is a weird little freak, I never should have let him anywhere near my Samantha."

Jeremy Manson declared, slumped against his own set of bars that contained him and his wife.

"Your spooky bat daughter knew about him, what's that say about your relationship with your kid if she didn't tell _you_ either?"

Jack shot back, pushing against the bars again as Angela stuck out both her hands, the Foley's prison between the other two.

"There's no point in fighting, our children kept things from all of us, granted Danny kept far worse secrets than Tucker, but secrets nonetheless. All we can do now is hope that the kids are smart enough to stay out of trouble while we're gone."

"Don't act as if your son is better than his! Your little techno weirdo hijacked my security systems on more than one occasion!"

Jeremy spat as Maurice stood.

"Our _techno weirdo_ is going to get into MIT one day with his skills and brains, where is _your_ daughter going to go besides jail?"

"Samantha is one of the top in her class! She may dress strangely but she is far better behaved than either of your brats!"

"Really?" Maurice scoffed, growing closer to his bars. "Maybe you should see about getting security cameras because she has snuck out more than once under your 'perfect' watch."

"If she has done anything it's only due to those awful Fenton's influence on her! Before them she always followed all the rules we set!"

"Now listen here! I don't-"

"Settle down now, Jack, it's alright," Maddie soothed, pulling at his arm as the other two families continued to argue. "This whole business about Danny being the Ghost Boy has me just as confused and baffled as you."

She said, a sad frown etched onto her face as Jack squeezed her hand.

"Imagine, our son has had ghost powers all this time and has kept them a secret from us. But we love him! I wonder why he didn't trust us enough to tell us."

He sighed, shaking his head sadly as a louder scoff than before left Jasmine.

"Really?" She spoke finally, turning to glare at her parents. "You really have no idea why Danny would keep such a thing from you?"

She said it with such anger it shocked Jack, he hadn't seen the girl so upset since she found out she didn't get to skip eighth grade.

"Jazz, I know we've been a bit preoccupied with our work recently, but you and Danny know you can always come to us about anything!"

Maddie said earnestly, taking a step closer to her daughter as the girl stood.

"Seriously? You really don't get it. Here, let me help you." She rolled her eyes before puffing out her chest and straightening her shoulders. "Hey, Maddie!" She began , her voice taking on a deep, unnatural tone as she stared right at her father. "Let's destroy the ghost!"

"No, Jack," She continued, her voice suddenly rising to a higher pitch. "Let's _dissect_ the ghost!" "I know, let's catch the ghost and rip it apart _molecule by molecule_!"

She finished with a scowl, her arms folding across her chest as Jack felt a pang in his chest. They really had said all those things, hadn't they? And about their own _son_. What kind of parents were they?

"Yeah, you guys are _so_ understanding."

She muttered, turning her back to them as Maddie turned away, her arms hugging around herself as Jack glared at the ground. He couldn't blame Danny for never telling them, not with how they spoke about his.. well, his other half. But surely he had to know they'd never do anything to harm him, right? At least not now that they knew who he was. How could they? Jack loved that boy more than anything else in the world.

Sure, he hadn't always been the best father. He knew he was dense, and he let work control his life more than he should, and a lot of things happened without him really noticing. But if Danny had talked to him, if he'd just told him the truth, they would've gotten through it together. Because that's what family did, right? They supported one another through everything, even having a half ghost as a child.

"We really did fail him." Maddie murmured to herself, her shoulders lurching as she stifled a sob. Jack reached out again, attempting to pull her closer only to have her tug away from him. "He felt unsafe in his own home, Jack. With _us_, what kind of parents make their child feel like that?"

"We didn't know," He said softly, grabbing her arms and turning her towards him. "We screwed up, but we never would've done anything to him, right?"

"Of course not!" She gasped, mouth parted as watery eyes stared up at him. "He's our _child_, all of that silly nonsense would have been thrown away if we'd have known."

"So we'll tell him that, just as soon as we see him!"

Jack encouraged, forcing a smile that Maddie weakly returned as Jasmine peeked at them from over her shoulder.

"Ah, what a lovely family moment. Shall I take a picture, immortalize this forever?"

A voice cackled behind them as Freakshow clapped his hands together, a disgusting smile drawn out across his face.

"Let me out of here, I'll give you something to immortalize!"

Jack demanded, pushing against the bars again as the man smirked.

"Ah ah ah, be good prisoners and I'll let you see your son!"

"You have Danny?"

Jasmine gasped, lurching forwards and clasping the bars in her own small hands.

"My, aren't we eager? No, I don't have your little halfa, but I am about to give him and his chums a call. They have something I want, and if they ever want to see their precious families again, they'll give it back."

"When I get out of here, you're going to be mincemeat, buddy!"

Jack yelled as the man feigned a look of terror.

"Oh, no! The buffoon is threatening me! You couldn't even catch the ghost that was living in your own home, do you really think I'm scared of you?" He asked, taking a few steps closer as he grinned maliciously. "Would you like to know what I've done to your son?" He asked, tilting his head and peering up at the larger man. "The first time I met him, I hypnotized him to do my every whim. He was a part of my show, and oh, he was spectacular. Never before have I had such a remarkable puppet."

"Why you little.. I'll kill you!"

Trying to reach him through the bars, Freakshow laughed louder and pulled away as Maddie's hands tugged at his arms.

"He's trying to get a rise out of you, Jack, calm down."

"But Danny-"

"Danny isn't here, and we don't know if any of that is true. We'll talk about it when we're together again, but right now we stand a better chance not drawing attention to ourselves." Maddie spoke softly, glaring hatefully out at the disgusting little man as he sat up a computer near their cages. "What we must do is outsmart him, that way we can get to Danny and keep him away from that freak."

Glowering at Freakshow's back, Jack huffed out a sigh and shoved away from the bars.

"I wish I had my Fenton Bazooka, I'd like to see him gloat about his victory then."

"I know, dear."

"Perfect!" Freakshow cackled, making a show of spreading his arms at the computer and projector set up in front of them. "Now, who would like to say hello to their darling little brats?"

* * *

**A/N**

**Bit of a shorter chapter now, mainly because it's harder to write more in depth for people who are stuck in a cage.. But I enjoy writing Jack with a little more character than just a bumbling idiot the show makes him out to be.**

**Anywho, I'm proud of how fast this one came out, did the whole thing in just a day! And as always your support and reviews mean the world, thanks for reading!**


	11. 11 - Tucker

Tucker woke with a shiver running through his body, cool air blowing against him as the boy huddled deeper inside his sleeping bag, burying his face into the fabric while letting out a quiet groan. Why did Danny always have to have his room so cold?

Reaching out a hand to feel for his friend, his palm touched nothing but open air before falling onto a cold, metal surface. Poking his head up and staring bleary eyed at his surroundings, the control panels and the seats from the Fenton Op Center came into focus as did the memories from the night before.

Sitting up and rubbing his eyes, he stretched out his arms and shivered again, glaring hatefully at the air vent above his head that had yet to kick off. Reaching out and finding his glasses, Tucker pushed them up his nose and looked around, the two pallets Sam had made for herself and Danny empty and untouched. Crawling out of the sleeping bag and snatching up his beret, he only had to look for a moment before he stopped dead in his tracks, staring in shocked silence at the scene before him.

Sam was propped against the wall, her head turned to the side with her legs outstretched and her hands resting in her lap. However _also_ on her lap was one Danny Fenton. The boy was lying on his side with his head on her legs and body curled in with his hands beside her.

Silently pulling his cellphone from his pocket, Tucker backed up a step before snapping a photo and saving the file, grinning mischievously the whole time. There was no way he could pass up such a perfect opportunity, especially not when Sam still held onto that awful picture she took of the two boys from when they fell asleep at the zoo.

Stifling a yawn and backing away from his two friends, Tucker dropped his hat onto one of the seats and walked to the back of the op center, his growling stomach a reminder that it had been hours since his last meal.

He _never_ waited this long to eat, and just the mere thought of the Fenton's not having any meat on the ship was enough to send him rooting through the food storage in panicked desperation. He knew he shouldn't have let Sam check it over the night before, but then again he'd been too tired to care about his stomach for once. Obviously that decision had been a poor one in retrospect.

In a closet in the corner was a large walk in pantry and sitting on the second shelf like a sparkling trophy was a bag of beef jerky, Tucker's hands wrapping around it in giddiness as he pulled the bag out and held it close, sighing happily. Just because they were on the run didn't mean they couldn't still enjoy some of their normal routines, such as dried meaty goodness.

Carrying his prize over to a table, he ripped off the top and pulled open the bag, the smell of the jerky making his mouth water as he pulled a piece out and bit a chunk off, another pleasant sigh escaping him.

The Fenton's were weird as hell, but at least they knew how to prepare for oddball situations. Although finding out their son was half ghost probably wasn't a thing they could ever really be prepared for.

Turning to look out one of the windows as he continued to munch on his breakfast, Tucker watched the clouds below them pass by leisurely, the aircraft slowing down to preserve fuel in the night with no set destination in mind.

Was he supposed to wake them up to deal with that? Shouldn't they be trying to figure out what to do, or at least where to go? He'd already tried calling his parents the night before but they hadn't picked up, which was strange because they _always _picked up. Had something happened? He was trying not to think about it, but the worry was eating at him now that the adrenaline and exhaustion had faded away.

Obviously by now they'd seen the news and knew what Danny was, and that Tucker and Sam were with him, but wouldn't that be even more reason for them to answer his calls? But if they went home to check, would those Guys in White be waiting for them like they had for Danny?

He chewed thoughtfully for a moment, barely tasting the flavor in the jerky as he stared outside. Would his parents be mad he'd kept Danny's secret from them? Probably. Although his mother might defend him, reminding his dad how important loyalty and trust were to a friend. Then again, she'd always told him not to a keep a secret if it was dangerous, and well, fighting ghosts wasn't exactly a safe after school activity like AV club, which is what he told them he was always off doing.

Pulling another piece of jerky from the bag and biting off the tip, he leaned his hand against his chin. If they somehow didn't manage to get the Reality Gauntlet back from Freakshow, would their lives really be so bad? He knew Danny thought so, but once it sank in and everyone moved on, things would go back to normal wouldn't they?

Danny would get extra time for projects, the jocks wouldn't bully them anymore, and he could date Paulina. Though judging by the boys sleeping habits, maybe there was a different girl he would date.

Shifting in his seat and looking over at his two sleeping friends, he slumped back and watched them. Did they even stand a chance against Freakshow with the power he had now? The two of them often got in the way when Danny was trying to fight, and if that freak got ahold of them and used them for leverage, what would happen to the halfa then?

What they needed were weapons, and knowing the Fenton's, there would be no short supply on the ship. Taking another piece of jerky with him, Tucker left the bag on the table and started exploring, rooting through the various closets in search of Fenton inventions or some kind of tech he could modify.

He'd only managed to keep ahold of his phone and his PDA, but maybe there was a computer or some cables he could use to hook into the mainframe. Grabbing the jerky between his teeth, Tucker opened one of the closets further and grabbed a shelf, using a box as a ladder and boosting himself up to view the higher shelves.

"Score!"

He mumbled around the food, standing on his toes and stretching to the back of the shelf to grab the edge of an unmarked box. Tugging it closer, he felt the box beneath him begin to cave, his hands grappling for something to hang onto as he lost his balance and toppled to the floor with the box falling into his lap, a quiet groan leaving him as he sat up and rubbed at his back.

"Stupid box.."

He grumbled, discovering the useless box filled merely with old blueprints as he began looking around for his jerky that had flown from his mouth in his fall. When his eyes landed on it, he found the piece had skidded across the floor and landed only inches from his two passed out friends.

Creeping closer as quietly as he could, he bent down to grab it when Sam stirred suddenly, her eyes pulling open as a look of distaste crossed her face.

"Morning."

Tucker whispered, flashing her a sheepish smile as the girl stared at him before shifting her gaze to the jerky.

"I can smell that stuff from here. That's what you chose to have for breakfast?"

"Hey, it has all kinds of nutrients in its dried beef state!"

He defended, watching as she closed her eyes again and sighed before starting to move, freezing as her eyes flew back open and she stared down at the boy on her lap.

"Not a dream.."

She whispered, a dusting of crimson coloring her cheeks as Tucker flashed a coy smile at her.

"You often dream about Danny sleeping on you?"

"Shut _up_, Tucker!"

She hissed, looking around in a mortified fashion as she sat frozen, too afraid to move.

"Having problems?"

He was enjoying this _way_ too much.

"I can't just shove him off!" She whispered, her voice hoarse as the red crept along her face and towards her ears. "Go get me that pillow!"

"What's the magic-"

"_Now_, Tucker!"

"Alright, alright. Grouch."

He grumbled, walking back over to their pallets and retrieving a pillow.

"Put it there." She motioned, sliding her legs slowly as the boy put the pillow down as told. "Please don't wake up.."

She murmured, shifting inch by inch until she was able to use her hands, carefully cradling the halfa's head and easing it onto the pillow. The moment she was free from his weight Sam scrambled up and away, tugging down her skirt and smoothing down her hair.

"You look a little red, just right there.."

Tucker teased, reaching a finger out as Sam swatted his hand away, a pained look on her face.

"Shut up, he collapsed on me in the middle of the night and I didn't want to just shove him onto the floor, not after what he went through."

She defended, folding her arms over her chest and glaring at the ground as Tucker smirked.

"Chill out, Manson, I'm just kidding. Besides, he seemed to be comfortable."

"Please be quiet."

She groaned, covering her face with her hands and walking away from him.

"Oh come on, when are you going to tell him that you like him?"

He pushed, trailing behind her.

"And what do you know about that?"

She asked, turning and pointing a finger at his chest.

"I know that you've been pining over him for ages."

"I have not."

"You turned into a dragon, Sam. You really have no room to deny things now." Her face turned a shade darker as she looked away again and stalked towards the pantry, rummaging around as the boy leaned against the wall. "He likes you too, you know."

"No he doesn't, he's too obsessed with Paulina. I swear his head is shoved so far up her-"

"Whoa, easy with the granola." He interrupted, reaching out and taking the breakfast bar she had mangled between her fingers. "Just tell him."

"And what do you think will happen, Tucker?" She asked, leaning against the doorframe with a frown. "Either he doesn't feel the same way and I look like a complete idiot, or he does, and things get super awkward and weird! Besides, he's got too much to worry about now."

Reaching back in for another granola bar, she carried it to the table and shoved away his jerky with another distasteful glance as Tucker slid into the seat across from her.

"He literally just used you as a pillow, obviously the dude likes you."

"Stop, seriously. This whole conversation is ridiculous, and _we_ have more important things to worry about too."

She shook her head, staring down at the open granola bar in her hand.

"Our parents?"

He asked as her head bobbed.

"They never answered any of my texts last night."

"Mine didn't pick up, and they _always_ pick up when I call."

"Do you think those Guys in White did something to them?"

"Or Freakshow did." Tucker shuddered, folding his arms across the table and slumping against them. "Should we have left?"

"What else could we have done? At the very least our families are being questioned, and going back or telling them what's going on would put them in even more danger. Besides.."

She trailed off, looking over at where Danny was still asleep near the wall.

"He needs us more." Tucker finished her thought, burying his face in his arms as he stared at his lap. "How did it get to be this bad?"

"I dunno. It just kinda spiraled out of control. I never expected him to be able to keep it a secret forever, but I didn't expect such a public reveal, either."

Sam sighed, and he could hear the packaging rustling as she took a bite of her breakfast.

"What're we going to do if we can't fix it?"

He dared to ask, peaking up to find her staring out the window.

"I think it would break him."

"I know it's bad right now, but after everything settles down, you don't think it would get better?"

There's a beat of silence, the quiet hum of the op centers engines resonating around them before Sam turned, violet eyes staring intently at him.

"You didn't see him last night, Tucker. He looked miserable. He was exhausted and scared and.." She turned away again, setting her half-finished granola bar on the table as she hugged her arms around himself. "You saw his eyes, didn't you? Back at his house?"

"Yeah."

He winced, recalling the unnatural green hues that made the boy look downright terrifying in his normal form.

"I've never seen that happen before. You and I, we know him better than probably anyone else, like ever. But even we didn't know that could happen. Everything got cold and when his eyes turned, he looked more like a ghost than he ever has before, and he was still his human half."

Tapping her fingers anxiously on the table, Sam shrugged lightly.

"So no, I don't think it will ever end. It's bad enough that his enemies know who he is, but now that _everyone_ knows? People won't stop hunting him. And his parents? Mr. and Mrs. Fenton are nice and all, but you really think they won't push him for little experiments here and there? Won't keep prodding until they figure out how it happened? I mean how do you just accept that your own kid is half dead, especially for people like his folks."

Turning to look over at his best friend, Tucker stared as the girl continued.

"The whole reason he kept it a secret was to keep from being poked and prodded and experimented on. So we have to find a way to fix everything, for his sake, no matter what."

The two fell silent, their minds wandering as Tucker's hands balled into fists. It wasn't fair that this happened, not to them, and not to Danny. They had been looking forward to finally having a vacation, to having an entire summer where they could just be kids again and not have to worry about the safety of the town and its people.

But Sam was right, Danny was an anomaly, there was no way he'd ever be left alone if everyone knew his secret, even though that meant they'd have to give up all their newfound popularity.

Neither of them spoke for a while, sitting quietly at the table as Sam finished her breakfast and Tucker stared absentmindedly across the ship. A shuddering gust of wind had the op center jerking, forcing Tucker against the wall as it righted itself as a mumbled voice spoke incoherently from beside them.

Looking over, Tucker watched in amusement as his halfa friend sat up, his hair standing up at odd angles and his eyes barely open as he looked around, trying to figure out where he was.

"Rise and shine, Danny!"

Tucker called out as the boy blinked a couple of times and stared groggily at the two of them.

"Morning.. What time is it?"

He mumbled out, rubbing at his eyes and yawning.

"Eleven thirty."

Sam offered, her eyes locked on the boy as he pushed himself up and wavered a moment.

"Why didn't you wake me up sooner?"

"You needed the sleep, you still look like a zombie though."

Tucker joked, watching as Danny meandered over and collapsed into the seat beside the boy.

"I feel like one."

"Maybe listen to me next time and go to sleep instead of pushing yourself pointlessly."

The Goth stated dryly, leaning back in her seat and crossing her arms over her chest while glaring at him.

"Someone's grouchy in the mornings."

Danny mumbled, dropping his head onto the table as Sam scoffed.

"And _someone_ is a pain."

"You okay, dude?"

Tucker nudged him as Danny moved his head.

"For a second I kinda thought this was all a dream. Of course with my luck I don't know why I'd ever think that."

His voice was soft, and Tucker met Sam's eyes for a moment before the girl was leaning forwards and tapping the top of Danny's head.

"We should contact your parents."

"And tell them what?" The boy moaned, looking up at her with an exasperated expression. "I'm sorry I've been lying to you and I stole the op center, please don't rip me apart molecule by molecule?"

He asked as Sam rolled her eyes at his theatrics.

"They have no idea where you are, Danny, none of our parents do. We _have_ to call someone."

She insisted, raising her brows at him as he groaned louder.

"Fine, what about Jazz?"

"I don't care, just call someone."

She instructed, motioning towards the control panels as Danny pushed himself up and gave her a dirty look.

"You're bossy too." He muttered under his breath as a light above the monitors began flashing a bright crimson. "Oh, here we go."

The halfa sighed as he walked over and began to log into the computers, Tucker and Sam following close behind. As the boy hit enter and the screens came to life, an image of a dwarfish man appeared on the screen, his blood colored eyes big and bright and the snarl on his lips twisted into a menacing smile.

Tucker started, eyes widening as he gaped at the Ring Master's high-def appearance, the ghoulish man grinning wider as he backed up a step and smiled triumphantly at the trio.

"Oh hello, hope I'm not interrupting the worst day of your life _ever_ but it seems I need your help."

He crooned, his hooked nose seeming even larger in full screen mode as Danny's hands balled into fists at his sides. Tucker could feel the anger radiating off of the boy, and part of him wondered if his eyes would shift again in his rage.

"You miserable freak, why would I ever help you?"

"I'm sorry, did I say need? I meant _demand_."

Freakshow cackled, moving off to the side of the screen as three circus train cars were put into focus, bars surroundings every side and turning them into makeshift prisons. Inside each car was a different couple, the trio's parents straining to see their kids through the computer.

Danny's hands unclenched as he took a step closer, fearful eyes that matched those of his friends staring painfully at the screen. Tucker inched closer himself, staring intently at his parents in the middle car as they clutched the bars tightly, seeming to make eye contact directly with him.

"Mom.."

Danny murmured, and as Tucker's eyes shifted to the Fenton's, he could see the worry and fear on their faces. Glancing at Danny, he could understand why. Their kid looked like hell, with his clothes ripped up and his hair a mess, not to mention the ever present bags under his eyes that never seemed to fade these days. Not that they themselves looked any better, though, Tucker and Sam's fall still present in their own torn clothes and bruises that didn't heal as fast as the halfa's.

"He's got my parents!"

Sam gasped, her hands covering her mouth as she stared at the screen, earning a deadpanned look from Tucker.

"He's got _all_ our parents."

Rolling his eyes, he watched as Freakshow walked back into view, blocking their families.

"Mom? Dad?"

Danny called, only to have the ringleader smile, a mouth of disgusting teeth showing.

"Why look, I have something you want, and you know the location of something I want. My gems. Which you three fools will retrieve if you ever want to see your families alive again. Oh, and just to keep it dramatic, you have three days."

Before any of them could speak the feed cut off, leaving the trio in horrified silence as they continued to stare at the blank screen. All this time he'd been worried about the government getting involved and keeping his parents for questioning, but Freakshow having them was so much worse.

They didn't even know Tucker had been involved with anything ghost oriented, and then in the span of a day they found out he was best friends with the ghost boy, helped on a regular basis, had been _lying_ to them all this time, and then was responsible for them being kidnapped by one of their enemies. He was _so_ getting grounded for life.

"Three days?" Danny gaped, turning finally to stare at his friends. "But we don't even know where to start looking!"

Sam blinked once, her head turning slowly as she glared at the halfa, an expression that was a mixture of disbelief and frustration settling on her face.

"You know, school being out or not, you _really_ should listen more." A sheepish look drifted across Danny's face, his eyes shifting to Tucker for help, only to have the boy cross his arms and give him a pointed stare. No way was he helping him out with that one. "We're the ones who hid the gems, remember?" Sam sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Which means they're safe and sound at Gothapalooza."

"Except I was thinking about the comic book convention."

Tucker shrugged as Danny scratched the back of his neck.

"And I was thinking about the space center."

"Looks like we're going to get that cross country trip together after all."

Tucker said, excitement bubbling up inside him as Danny walked over to the monitors.

"Starting with Florida."

He said, typing a few things into the console as Jack Fenton's voice spoke from overhead and the ship began to move faster.

"**SETTING NEW COURSE FOR CAPE CANAVERAL FLORIDA."**

"No fair, how come we get to go to your place first?"

Tucker complained, scooping up his beret and falling back into one of the pilot seats.

"It doesn't matter, we're not going there to have fun."

Danny said, but Tucker could see the eagerness in the halfa's eyes despite his words. Of course he was eager, he was sure they all were in some form. They were taking a cross country trip, just the three of them, with no parents. Of course it was only because their parents had been kidnapped and were being held hostage by a crazy, ghost obsessed freak, but that was beside the point.

"We've got to get those stones back, we've got to fix everything and save them."

Sam said, leaning against the back of Tucker's chair as Danny pulled away from the machine and nodded.

"We will, we'll put everything back to normal. I hope."

* * *

**A/N**

**Let's hear it for some Tucker/Sam moments! There's certainly not enough.**

**I'm trying really hard to post more frequently! I'd like to get this fanfiction done in the next couple of months so I can start on a new one. I really like this whole, more realism thing, and I'd like to play around with it in other episodes and even other shows, particularly Miraculous Ladybug.**

**If you have any shows or episodes you'd like to see written in this style, message me! I'm always looking for new ideas!**


	12. 12 - Danny

Time passed so slowly now that they could do nothing but wait. Waiting and worrying and waiting some more. Danny kept seeing his parent's expressions, the concerned look on his mother's face and the sadness on his father's. But he hadn't seen disappointment or hatred so, that was a good thing, right?

But he also hadn't seen Jazz, so did that mean she'd gotten away? But then if she had, wouldn't she have found a way to have gotten ahold of him already? He had too many questions and he wasn't anywhere near getting answers for any of them. So there he sat, staring out the window at the mass of clouds that drifted past as the Op Center carried them closer and closer to Florida.

He'd been wanting to go to the space center for so long, but under the circumstances he felt more dread than excitement. If the job was just getting the stones, if they weren't constricted by the time limit, would he explore the area? Would he look at all the rockets and dream about what it would be like to go into space?

Maybe, or maybe he would just focus on the job like he'd been doing for months now. Was being an astronaut even still possible? Physically he could probably pass, but they did blood work too, and did he dare even try? Obviously with his secret out it didn't matter, but when he set everything right, and he _would_ set things right, would it be worth it to even try? More questions, still no answers.

He'd known what he'd wanted to do with his life since he was a little kid, and now it was empty and bleak and full of darkness. Would he just fight ghosts for the rest of his life? Would he ever get married, have a family? Or was that just another risk, the worry of having a child that possessed some of his abilities.

Thinking about it too much made his head hurt, and he was still so tired. He'd tried to go back to sleep after eating and grabbing a change of clothes, but his brain just wouldn't shut up. Sam and Tucker had found a deck of cards with some old board games shoved away in one of the closets and occasionally he could hear the two of them laughing or arguing.

They'd asked him to join but he'd turned them down, he just didn't have the energy to focus on much of anything. Which was ridiculous, they were going on a road trip together with no supervision; any other teenager would be having the time of their lives. But then again, any other teenager wasn't a half ghost whose parents had been kidnapped.

"Danny?" Glancing up, the halfa met concerned violet hues and offered a faint smile, the small act relieving some of the worry Sam held in her eyes. "The GPS says we're almost there."

"Yeah, kind've exciting right?"

The girl rolled her eyes in response and clutched a leather bound book closer to her chest.

"What's the plan?"

"Find the gem, wasn't it?"

He asked, pulling his feet down from off the console and sitting up straighter as the girl deadpanned.

"Obviously, but _how_ are we going to find it is the question."

"Doesn't your book tell you how to locate them?"

Tucker chimed in, draping his arms over the back of Danny's chair.

"If it did then Freakshow would've had his hands on the Gauntlet years ago, use some common sense." Sam sighed, reaching out and flicking the boy's beret. "What the book _does_ say is that the gems are activated by touch, so as long as nobody found it yet then maybe this will be easy."

She shrugged, closing the book as a shadow crept over their ship, a massive rocket hovering over them as Sam's optimism had become short lived.

Two glowing eyes that burned like fire sat on the nose of the rocket while a deafening screech had the trio covering their ears, a metal jaw forcing its way open. Inside the gaping maw were hundreds of daggered teeth, each glinting in the light as it snarled down at the Op Center, seemingly delighted to have found its lunch.

"It's never easy, is it?"

Sam asked quietly as Danny shot her a sideways glance.

"You just had to jinx us, didn't you?"

"It's coming!"

Tucker yelled, the rocket surging forwards and mashing its teeth together as the Op Center diverted its course, turning around and speeding away from the enemy that flashed in red on every computer screen.

"Hold on!"

Danny yelled, gripping the arms of his chair as Tucker and Sam grabbed ahold.

"Well, here's your up close and personal view of a rocket, Danny!"

Tucker shouted as the monster grew closer, its speed far faster than any the Op Center possessed as its massive mouth opened wide and smashed down over the back end of their vehicle. The ship jerked to a halt in the jaws of the rocket, sending the trio flying backwards into the walls and each other as Danny's back slammed into a cupboard.

The halfa let out a groan as someone whimpered beside him, half lidded eyes looking over at Sam and spotting the Goth's hair in her face as she cradled her arm, a thin stream of blood dripping to the floor.

"Sam." Danny breathed, forcing himself up and reaching out to her, though her eyes refused to meet his. "Are you okay? No, wait, stupid question."

He rambled out, grabbing for her hand as she pulled away from him.

"You have to stop it."

She grit out, pain laced through her words as Tucker appeared next to her, a bruise already forming on his cheek as he grabbed ahold of her shoulders protectively.

"I'll take care of her."

He reassured him as the boy hesitated, his eyes darting back to the girl in front of him, her body trembling as she curled in on herself and used her hand to try and cover the wound to stop the bleeding. Standing up reluctantly and clenching his fists, Danny nodded.

"I'm going ghost!"

He yelled, feeling the rings of light move over him and transform him into his ghostly half. Bolting into the air, Danny placed both hands on the roof of the cabin and turned himself and the Op Center intangible, freeing it from the rocket's jaws as the auto pilot took back over the controls and steered them away from danger.

"I'll be right back."

The halfa promised, moving through the ship and appearing outside, scanning the area for the rocket. He didn't have to look long, the possessed object looming over him as rage built up inside the teenager. Firing shot after shot at the creation, it did little to slow it down, only in fact seeming to anger it more. Brute force obviously wouldn't work, but it had caused his friends to get hurt, so-

"Whoa!"

Danny yelped, the rocket slamming into him as he grappled at the glass shield, trying to hang on as it soared higher into the sky. Inside the craft sitting perched on the pilot's seat was a glowing red gem, its form glittering in the light as Danny's eyes widened. Perfect, it was right there, all he had to do was reach in and take it.

Readjusting his position, he started to push his hands towards the glass as the rockets speed slowed, the vessel turning abruptly to the side and forcing the halfa to hang on tighter to keep from falling. Trying again, Danny pressed his hands into the glass as the aircraft began bucking up and down and thrusting side to side, the halfa's grip failing as the boy was thrown from the rocket.

Danny sped through the air faster than he'd ever imagined possible, barely having time to process the wind ripping at his skin before his body slammed into asphalt and everything went black.

* * *

"_Danny, give it back!"_

_Jasmine whined, stamping her foot as she tried to grab the teddy bear from the boy's pudgy hands._

"_No! You promised to play with me today!"_

_He yelled, clutching the bear tighter to his chest and swatting her hand away._

"_Mom! Danny won't give Bearbert Einstein back!"_

_She cried, her hands balled into fists as she glared angrily at him._

"_Danny, give your sister her bear back."_

_His mother called from the other room as Danny tugged away from Jasmine again._

"_Mom, tell her to play with me!"_

"_I can't play with you right now, Danny! The fifth grade is hard, I have homework that's more important than playing your dumb games!"_

_She declared, crossing her arms over her chest and turning her head, her pigtails flying over her shoulders as tears filled the little boy's eyes._

"_They're not dumb! You always played before!"_

"_I'm a big kid now, I don't have time anymore, now give him back!"_

"_No!"_

"_Mom!"_

"_Both of you stop it right now." Their mother chided, walking in from the other room and kneeling down next to them. "Danny, give your sister back her bear, you know how much she loves him."_

"_But mom-"_

"_No buts, give it back right now, you know it wasn't yours to take."_

_A pout formed on the boy's lips as he thrust the plush toy at the girl who snatched it from his hands, hugging it close to her._

"_And as for you, young lady, what have I said about working so much on your school? Learning is good, and loving it is even better, but don't forget to be a kid sometimes too, okay?"_

_She said, poking the girl's nose as she nodded, looking down at the floor._

"_I know. And I'm sorry Danny, we can play in a little bit, okay?"_

_She promised, pulling her brother into a quick hug before running off, the teddy bear dangling from her fingers._

"_She always says that."_

_The boy continued to pout, refusing to meet his mother's gaze as she leaned her head in closer._

"_Well, why don't we play instead?"_

"_Really? You don't have to work?"_

_He asked, eyes wide as he reached out for her._

"_Of course! I can put work off for a bit, nothing is as important as my little man." She smiled, pulling him into her arms and hugging him tightly. "You know I love you so much, don't you? More than anything in the world. It doesn't matter what you do, or what kind of person you become, I will always love you. I don't want you to ever forget that, okay Danny?"_

_The little boy nodded, hugging her tighter._

"_Danny?"_

_Her voice called, sounding concerned as the boy looked up at her._

"_Danny, say something."_

_He blinked a couple of times, his mother's image fading away as he reached out for her, hands touching nothing but air._

"_Danny!"_

* * *

"Danny!"

The world began returning in pieces, the most prevalent being the near unbearable pain. It felt like every inch of his body was throbbing, tiny needles digging into his skin and setting his veins on fire. Had he ever felt like this before? So much pain, it made him so tired. He could sleep, if he tried, the darkness was calling to him, begging for him to return to its warm embrace. Waves upon waves, a calming shore, if only he would sleep.

"Tucker, he's not moving, he's not _moving_."

What had he been doing? Was it important? Everything ached and burned, could someone make that stop? If he stayed here, if he didn't give in, would it go away?

"Danny, please!"

Someone was crying and he could feel them grabbing his arm. He wasn't asleep, was he? It didn't feel like it, his mind was running laps around and around inside his head, fighting for freedom and relief and God the _pain._

"Danny, I need you to wake up, please, _please_ wake up."

It was raining, small drops of water splashing onto his face and his chest and his arms. No, not rain. Tears. Someone was crying over him, someone was crying _about_ him. He struggled a moment, tilting his head towards the sound as a sharp intake of breath sounded above him.

"Danny?"

She was begging, pleading, encouraging. He remembered the rocket, and the gem sitting just out of reach inside. Everything was coming into focus, and the calming waves disappeared altogether. He was so tired, and everything hurt, and he knew sleep would be an escape he so desperately needed, but his friends needed him more and he couldn't just leave them.

Pulling open his eyes, Sam and Tucker's worried expressions hovered over him as Sam covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face.

"Dude, we thought we lost you."

Tucker said quietly, the relief clear on his face as he offered his hand out to the halfa. The boy took it slowly, his bare arm covered in cuts and smeared blood, each move aching more than the last.

"Can't get rid of me that easily."

He croaked, cracking a smile as Tucker pulled him up, his chest protesting the entire way.

"You scared the hell out of us." Sam murmured, still kneeling beside him as he took note of how red her eyes were before his gaze was shifting to the stained gauze wrapped around her forearm. "Don't you dare ask if I'm okay or I _will_ hit you."

She warned, following his stare as a high pitched scream pierced through the air in the distance.

"How long was I out?"

"Only a few minutes, but I'm just glad you woke up at all. I've never seen you take a hit like that before." Tucker laughed weakly, making a motion at the dirt walls around them. "We had to climb down here just to find you, you fell so hard you made a crater."

Glancing to either side, Danny winced, his arm wrapping protectively around his ribcage.

"It feels like I made one too."

Exchanging a look, both of his friends stood and offered him their hands which the halfa took reluctantly. It was a group effort as they pulled the boy to his feet, Danny struggling to bite back his groans as Tucker kept a hold of his arm and steadied his friend.

"You look awful.."

Sam commented, her eyes darting over his battered form as he flashed her a lopsided smile.

"Cause that's what every guy wants to hear."

He teased, receiving a familiar roll of the girls eyes in return as the rocket soared overhead, swooping down at the station before rising into the air again.

"That thing is going to kill someone." Danny frowned, his hands balling into fists as he pulled away from Tucker and swayed where he stood. "I'm going ghost!"

Transforming back into his trademark jumpsuit, he found himself feeling a bit better, his ghost half less susceptible to the pain like his human half was. A perk of being partially dead, he supposed. Not that he could ever tell his friends that either, or Jazz.

It was hard enough talking about those things without the looks of discomfort making him feel guilty for bringing it up at all. Not that he blamed them, of course. Thinking about it too much made him feel numb and inhuman, the very thought of his nonexistent pulse and glowing eyes in this form enough to fuel his nightmares for days.

"Are you going to be okay?"

Tucker questioned as the halfa nodded, smiling at his friends with more confidence than he felt.

"I'll be fine, but you guys go back to the ship, you'll be safer there."

"Danny, go get the gem."

Sam urged as the boy nodded and shot back into the sky, wind blowing through his hair as he focused on the rocket in front of him, letting the pain and the worry and the stress slip his mind as he dealt the task at hand. Speeding around and cutting off the rocket, Danny waved his arms in the air, attracting the possessed machines attention.

"Come and get me you giant lump of space junk!"

He called, watching while it bared its fangs and flew straight towards him. Skirting to the side at the last minute, Danny grabbed ahold of the back wing and hung on for his life as it began reaching top speeds once again and soared even higher than before.

"I always wanted to ride on the space shuttle," He grumbled to himself, straining to see as the wind pushed against him. "Just not on the outside!"

Inch by inch the halfa worked his way up the side of the rocket, reaching around and finally pulling himself back to where he had been in the beginning, the glowing gem a taunting reminder of his previously failed attempt as he glared inside at it.

"You're mine this time." He muttered, turning his top half intangible and pushing himself inside, his hands reaching out as he focused on the gem and picked it up, pulling it back out with him.

"Yes!"

He shouted, pumping his fists in the air as the gems glow faded away, the rocket coming to an abrupt stop before it began plummeting, leaving the halfa floating in the air where it had once been

"Oh, crap."

He mumbled, gripping the gem tightly and soaring after the rocket, turning intangible once more and landing in the pilot's seat.

"Okay, I've run the simulation a million times on my computer."

He reassured himself, grabbing ahold of the controls and looking around. Reaching up, he flipped several switches, rotated a dial, and pressed two blue buttons. The rocket shuddered as landing gears began releasing, a small relief to the boy as he pulled back on the yoke as hard as he could, attempting to stop the rocket from crash landing on the Op Center that was right below him.

"Come on!"

He yelled, tugging harder as the rocket skimmed over the top of their ship and hit the asphalt, the machine rolling down the runway as Danny let go and let the rocket slow to a stop at the end of the tarmac. He stared at the controls a moment, a laugh leaving him as he flew through the top of the ship and hovered in the air, staring at the machine in awe.

"Ladies and gentleman, the eagle has landed, intact!"

He cheered, excitement and pride welling up inside of him as the sound of a speaker crackling behind him drew his attention away.

"Attention Daniel Fenton, AKA Danny Phantom, give yourself up."

Swiveling around, Danny stared at the ship above him, the two Guys In White looming over him as his excitement faded.

"Shit."

He cursed, ducking his head and making a beeline for his own ship.

"Do not run or we will take action."

They warned as the halfa continued to fly towards the Op Center, ignoring their threats.

"Fire."

One of them barked out, a high pitched whine now distracting the boy as he dared to glance up. Just as he was about to move out of the way, three shots from the men fired on the ship rather than at him.

"No!"

Danny cried, unable to stop the blasts from raining down, piercing through the fuselage and hitting the engines.

It was eerily calm and silent at first, and then everything was fire and heat and scorching metal. The force of the explosion knocked the halfa back, sending him hurtling into the asphalt once more.

Sitting up slowly, his ears were ringing from the blast and his head was spinning, the heat of the flames burning his skin as pieces of the wreckage rained down over him.

"Sam?" He called, his voice hollow and strained as he tried to blink past the smoke blurring his vision. "Tucker?"

Crawling forwards, glass dug through his gloves and cut into his palms, his body lurching as he crept closer to the ruins. "Oh God.." He whispered, his hand reaching out and flinching away from the heat.

"Tucker! Sam!" He screamed, nausea settling in his stomach as he pushed himself up and teetered, nearly crashing back to the ground. "Please.. please no.." Forcing himself to turn intangible, the halfa pushed his way through the wreckage, looking for any sign of his friends.

"Sam? Tucker! Answer me!" Danny cried, pieces of metal ripped apart as flames danced higher around him. "Oh God.. oh God.." His breaths were sharp and fast as he moved further into the destruction, a thick, black smoke clouding the air and leaving an acrid smell behind.

"Sam!" Staggering forwards, tears were sliding down the boy's face as he moved through a wall that had been blasted apart, desperate to find any trace of the two of them. "Tucker.. please!"

Ghosting through another wall and appearing back outside, Danny collapsed to the ground as his body returned to its tangible state, his fingers digging into the earth as the heat of the flames burned at his skin and the smoke filled his lungs. There was too much wreckage, too much he couldn't move or check.

"Oh God.. Oh God please.. please don't be.. please, I'm sorry.. please.."

He was begging, pleading with anyone who could hear him. He would have gone with them, he would have given himself up if he had known, but why did they have to.. He told them the ship was safer, he'd put them in there _oh God_ he told them they would be _safe_.

He couldn't breathe, couldn't think, each ragged breath he managed to take only drew in the soot and the smoke that his body rejected, a violent coughing fit forcing bile past his lips and onto the burned earth beneath him.

Tears fell uncontrollably as they worked to clear to ash from his eyes, his vision beginning to darken at the edges as his body trembled and his fingers curled deeper into the dirt. He'd brought them into this, he'd put them in danger and now.. now they were.. Oh God, what had he done?


	13. 13 - Sam

"Danny, go get the gem."

Sam urged, watching the halfa nod before he shot into the sky, leaving his two friends in the crater he'd created from his fall.

"He'll find it."

Tucker spoke, still staring after their friend as the boy flew after the possessed rocket wreaking havoc on the base.

"He looked bad, Tucker; worse than I've ever seen him."

Sam mumbled, running a hand down her face and feeling the dirt and sweat gathering beneath her palm.

"But he bounced back."

Looking up, Sam frowned at the boy, the lack of belief in his words going against the attempted reassurance he offered.

"Yeah? And how many more times can he do that?" When Tucker's gaze fell, Sam closed her eyes and sighed, running her fingers across her forehead. "Let's get back to the Op Center."

Grabbing ahold of a piece of the cracked tarmac above her, Sam pulled herself out of the crater and offered a hand to the other, knowing full well that neither of her friends could manage even a single chin up on a good day. Tugging him up and out, the two made their way back to their own ship as Danny's fight raged on without them.

Once onboard with the doors sealing behind her, Sam pushed her back against the cool metal and dropped her head, fingers tightening into fists behind her.

"Can you see him?"

She asked, staring intently at the scuffed flooring under her feet.

"It looks like he's about to get the gem!"

Closing her eyes tightly, Sam could hear the blood pounding in her ears. Danny had looked like hell, his body covered in cuts and bruises with a trail of ecto blood dripping from his forehead. And then he'd had the audacity to look at her like that, with those bright blue eyes that just _screamed_ guilt. He was hurting and stressed but he was worried about _her_.

"I think he's- he's flying the rocket! Oh man!"

He would never stop, would he? All of this ghost hunting and fighting, he wouldn't stop until it killed him.

"Sam! Look! He landed the rocket! That was awesome!"

Pulling open her eyes, Sam swallowed past the lump in her throat and walked forwards, peering out the window as Danny moved through the top of the rocket and hovered over it in the distance, his arms pumping victoriously into the air. She could feel his pride from there and a small smile worked its way up onto her face. He'd talk about what he did for days, no for _weeks_ she was sure.

"Hey, who are they?"

Tucker pointed, directing their attention to two small planes growing closer, encroaching on their ship and Danny.

"Tucker, those are the Guys In White!"

Sam yelled, her hands pressing against the console as she leaned closer to the window.

"Attention Daniel Fenton, AKA Danny Phantom, give yourself up."

A voice crackled over the speakers as Sam pulled away and grabbed at her friend's arm.

"Tucker, we've gotta get this thing in the air, we've gotta go."

"But how?"

"We need to initiate autopilot again, what button did he push?"

She groaned, pressing various buttons with increasing frenzy as Tucker pulled away and walked towards the middle of the room.

"Hey! I didn't know they had these!"

"Do not run or we will take action."

"Tucker!"

"Sam, look!"

"Fire."

"Oh shit.." Sam murmured, stumbling backwards as the planes turned, facing the Op Center head on as three missiles released and started their path directly towards them. "Tucker, run!"

"Sam, wait!" Feeling Tucker's hands on her arms, he tugged her down through an opened panel as the first blast hit, the entire Op Center shaking from the force. "Look! Get on!" Tucker said, beginning to ramble on about pushed buttons and luck as Sam stared dumbly at the four Fenton Cruisers sitting before them. "Sam! Get a move on!"

Tucker yelled, already starting the engine on one as he leaned over and pressed a button on the wall, opening a small door at the back of the Center that allowed them an exit.

"Right, on it!"

Climbing on a second one, she pushed the ignition button and slammed her foot on the gas pedal. As their tires hit ground, the Op Center shuddered and blew, fire and debris raining down as Sam ducked her head, forcing the cruiser blindly forward as fast as she could to get away from the wreckage. The explosion had her ears ringing and heart pounding, smoke filling her lungs as her vehicle shuddered forwards until she managed to breathe in clean air.

"Tucker!"

She called, her voice a hoarse cry as she coughed, tears trailing down her cheeks as she blinked the dust from her eyes and stopped her cruiser.

"Sam?"

Turning her head, she could see the other vehicle a few feet away, a shaken Tucker Foley slumped against the controls with a hand clamped tightly over his arm. She could tell immediately something was wrong, the way he held himself and stared at her.

Clambering off her seat and stumbling towards him, she reached out and grabbed his elbows as she climbed up and quickly looked him up and down, a harsh cough exiting the boys' lips as a weak smile appeared on his face.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine, are you?"

"Fine, yeah, fine." He mumbled as she pulled his hand away from his forearm to reveal a large portion of his skin blistered beneath a torn and burnt sleeve as he winced, a weary chuckle turning into another cough. "Did they really try to kill us?"

He asked quietly, blinking a few times as Sam swallowed thickly, the taste of smoke and metal on her tongue as she dropped her hands.

"Maybe they didn't know we were in there." It's a lie and an obvious one at that, but neither said anything to dispute it as the raven haired girl shook her head. "Danny, do you think he's okay?"

"Probably, he wasn't close enough to be in it I don't think."

Tucker shook his head, a puff of air escaping past cracked lips as he sucked in another fast, broken breath.

"Tuck?"

"We almost died." Lavender hues met teal as concern for her friend tugged at her heart, a pained look and tears in the boys eyes making the girl pause. "Sam, we almost died."

"I know."

She nodded, because that was all she could do. They almost died. Those words hadn't sunk in yet. Maybe it was shock, or disbelief, or the fact that she'd never been afraid of death until now. But she reached out again, her arms wrapping around Tucker's chest as she hugged into him, the sound of his rapid heart beating heavily against her own as his arms weakly returned her hug.

"This is crazy, this is all too damn crazy."

He mumbled in her ear, squeezing her tighter now as she winced, gripping the back of his shirt as she nodded.

"I know."

Why was that all she could say? Although, what else could be said? They'd been fighting ghosts with Danny for months now, they knew the dangers. But maybe that was the most messed up thing, because it wasn't ghosts that had tried to kill them, it was people.

Pulling away, she knew if she looked anything like Tucker, covered in dirt and grime with clothes all torn, they'd need a shower and a change of clothes sooner rather than later. But the fiery mess behind them was still burning strong, and her first priority was a certain impulsive halfa that was missing from their little group.

"We've gotta get to Danny."

She said, her voice sounding stronger and more controlled now as she jumped down and marched back to her own vehicle.

"Think he's already taken care of the Guys In White?"

"Not sure, but we better go find out."

She said, revving the engine and turning the vehicle around, speeding it directly back towards the Op Center wreckage. The closer they got to the fire the harder it was to breathe, the variety of who knew what chemicals the Fenton's had used now released into the air as they rounded the wreckage and tried to see through the smoke.

For the second time Sam was screeching her Fenton Cruiser to a sudden stop, wide eyes landing immediately on the boy she'd come back to find. He looked.. broken. It looked as if he'd given up, his form hunched over as his fingers dug into the earth, his body trembling and lurching as if he were sobbing. Oh God, did he think-

"Danny!"

She was shouting before she could stop herself, her body rising to stand on the cruiser as the halfa's head jerked, his pale face covered in soot as green eyes rimmed with red found her across the tarmac. She could see his mouth form a word that looked suspiciously like her name before he was screaming '_yes'_ into the air.

She couldn't help the grin that broke out on her face as the boy forced himself up on shaking legs, his body swaying back and forth as he took a staggered step towards her. His suit was covered in grime and his face was smudged with blood, but he was alive, and he was standing there with the dopiest grin on his face that made her want to laugh out loud for hours on end. A joy she had the opportunity to relish in for less than a minute as two planes circled overhead, closing in on the spread out trio once more.

"Danny, look out!"

She shouted, pointing above him as the halfa's smile faltered, his head jerking up and staring at the planes as another missile was released, speeding this time straight for the halfa.

"Go!"

He yelled, waving his hands at them as Sam dropped back into her seat and forced the cruiser around and away from the danger. Slamming down on the gas pedal, the cruiser jerked forward at a terrifying speed, carrying the girl across the tarmac with a poorly contained scream. Blasts behind them shook the ground, each one making the cruiser bounce, its tires leaving the cement for a few horrifying seconds before landing and regaining its speed.

"Keep going!"

Danny's voice urged, the raven haired girl barely daring to look around for the halfa as she kept the pedal pushed, afraid to let up even an inch.

"We're running out of road!"

Tucker called, his voice barely audible over the rushing wind that made it hard to even see. But he was right, the tarmac in front of them was nearly gone and blocked by railings and barriers that she was pretty sure the cruisers couldn't conquer.

"Hold on!"

Danny's voice spoke again, only this time it was close, almost right next to her ear as Sam dared to look, spotting the ghost boy between her and Tucker's vehicles. Placing a hand on each of their shoulders, Danny closed his eyes and the three turned intangible, the cruisers and trio together easing into the ground as Sam's foot released the gas.

It was such an odd feeling, sinking through the earth. It was dark and cold and clammy, and she couldn't help but wonder if that was what Danny felt like all the time when he turned into his ghostly half.

The further they went the harder it was to breathe, the girl struggling to keep hold of the handlebars as her hands shook uncontrollably. She could feel her energy seeping away. Everything was cold and distant and meaningless. What was the point in all this anyway? They'd nearly died, and there was no way they could save their parents like this, they were just _kids_ so what was the point? They should just go back, give themselves up, let those guys just-

"Sam, you with me?"

Blinking a couple of times, bright green eyes filled with concern came into focus, then white hair filled with dirt and a face covered in cuts. As her eyes moved down to a cut near the corner of cracked lips, she felt cool hands against her skin that pulled her attention back to the eyes.

"Sam, snap out of it."

"What happened?"

Turning her head, the afternoon sun shined above them and she found herself sitting uncomfortably on the Fenton Cruiser with Danny hovering beside her.

"Sorry, I don't normally do it for that long, but we didn't have a choice."

He said, that same guilty expression clouding his features as he pulled away, awkwardly running a hand across the back of his neck as Tucker gave her a small wave, a distant look in his eyes.

"What did you do? I don't.."

"The intangibility," He said, standing in front of the cruisers now as he wrung his hands together. "I had to get us out of there, but it's not really meant for.."

He trailed off, but Sam knew what the silence meant. It wasn't meant for humans.

"What did it do? Where are we?"

She asked, twisting around to look at the foliage and trees above and around them.

"We're near the edge of the base. I couldn't keep going so we had to stop here."

"Unfortunately, we're kind of stuck now."

Tucker motioned behind her as Sam turned and peered over the brush, looking out onto a road where two police cars sat blocking their way out.

"All units be on the lookout." Their radio droned on, the staticky voice able to be heard from where they were hiding. "I repeat all units be on the lookout for the ghost boy and his accomplices."

"Accomplices?"

Sam repeated as Tucker nodded, looking a bit more lively.

"We're criminals now apparently."

"Yeah, downright treasonous."

Danny scoffed, folding his arms and frowning.

"Well, did you at least get the gem?"

Sam asked, turning back around as Danny perked up, reaching into his pocket and revealing the glowing crimson gem that sparkled in the light.

"Here," Tucker said, tossing the boy the thermos. "I grabbed it before the Op Center blew."

There was a beat of silence, none of them looking at each other as Danny hefted the thermos up and unscrewed the cap.

"Let's put you somewhere your ghostly energy can't get out," Dropping the gem, the thermos pulled it inside before Danny screwed the top back on and held it tightly. "One realty gem found, two to go."

Leaning back against the handlebars, Sam ran a hand down her face and sighed.

"We'll never make it across the country in time on these things."

They had two and a half days left, and they still had to retrieve two gems and get back in time. There was no way those Fenton Cruisers could manage that. Granted they were insanely awesome, but they weren't exactly an all-terrain vehicle.

"You sure about that?"

Danny asked, a lopsided grin appearing as he walked over and stood in front of her. Making a motion with his hand, Sam righted herself and placed her hands on the bars, watching as the halfa reached over and pressed a small square button near the bottom before quickly stepping away.

The cruiser quaked beneath the girl, its entire frame shuddering as it rose in the air. Looking over one side, Sam's jaw dropped as she watched the tires rotate around, pulling up and under the machine as it hovered in the air.

"Okay, your parents are officially the _coolest_!"

Tucker practically squealed, pressing the button on his own excitedly as Danny smirked.

"Well, think we'll make it now?"

He asked, glancing up at Sam as she laughed.

"Yeah, I think we might."

"Stop talking! I wanna fly!"

Tucker waved his hand at them as Danny rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. Hold on." Walking closer to the boy's vehicle, Danny jumped on board and sat behind him as a slow breath left him. "Try not to kill us."

He grumbled as two familiar rings of light appeared around the halfa's middle, transforming the teenager back into his human half. As the light faded, Danny's body slumped against the other's, his eyes closing as Tucker glanced warily over at the girl.

"Did he just pass out?"

"I think so."

Sam stated, shaking her head as the two directed their vehicles around the road block and over a river.

"This is awesome!"

Tucker laughed, stretching out his arms as they flew.

"Hey, Tucker?"

"Yeah?" Staring at the rippling reflections in the water as they zoomed past, the girl bit down on her lip. "Sam?"

"Did you feel it?"

Glancing up at the boy, his sobered expression was a clear indicator of his answer.

"You mean the intangibility thing."

Bobbing her head, Sam looked back at the resting boy, various cuts still bleeding as bruises stood out prominently against his fair skin. When he looked like that, with no glowing eyes or strange jumpsuit, it was easy to forget what he could do.

"It felt like.. like nothing mattered."

"Like your life was being drained from your body, right?"

He said quietly, his fingers tapping against the handlebars as he pulled closer to her.

"We've gone intangible before and all I've ever felt is cold."

"He said it was longer this time, but he didn't say how long."

"Yeah, I noticed that. And did you see his face? Like he knew what we were feeling, and he felt guilty about it." Casting another glance at Danny, the wind pulling at his already mussed hair, Sam met Tucker's eyes. "Do we really even know what he's fully capable of? To what extent his powers go to?"

"No," Tucker shook his head, his hands tightening around the bars as he looked ahead again. "But do we really want too?"

The question was followed by silence on both ends, Sam's gaze shifting to open sky in front of her as a weight settled in her stomach. They forgot sometimes with how he acted, with his goofy mistakes and usual clumsiness. Forgot that underneath the heroism and the bravery and the jokes, Danny was still half ghost, he was still half _dead_. And if she thought about it for too long, it scared the hell out of her.

* * *

**A/N**

**I'm really sorry about such a long hiatus. The past five weeks have been the most hellish of my life. I was incredibly sick, and both of cats became ill at the same time. Unfortunately I lost one of them, an angel I've had in my life for thirteen years. It's taken a while to recover from both mental and physical issues, and I've only just recently regained the motivation to continue writing. Thank you for your patience and for your continued support, knowing I have people who care so much about my stories has really helped pull me through and inspire me during this time. I hope everyone is staying safe, my thoughts and prayers go out to you all.**


	14. 14 - Maddie

It was a beautiful day. A cloudless sky shined a crystal blue, a gentle breeze rustled the leaves of an apple tree overhead, and Maddie Fenton was lying on a blanket with her hair free from her jumpsuit's restricting hood.

Tilting her head, a content smile settled on her face as she stared at her husband asleep beside her, his head resting on their oversized picnic basket.

Looking off to the other side, she watched her two children playing together beneath the trees. It appeared to be some form of tag, in which Jasmine desperately kept reaching out for Danny who was always just out of reach.

"No fair, Danny! That's cheating!"

Jasmine yelled, jumping and swiping at the air as Danny hovered over her, a mischievous grin on his face as he shrugged his shoulders, teasing green eyes watching his sister.

"Hey, you just have to try harder!"

"Mom!"

Smiling, Maddie leaned up on an elbow, giving her son a knowing look.

"Danny, you know your sister can't fly."

"That seems like a 'her' problem not a 'me' problem."

The boy laughed, zipping straight through a tree as Jazz groaned. Lying back down, Maddie watched as Danny poked his head through another tree behind Jazz, blowing a puff of air on her neck that made her jump and scream.

"Not funny, Danny!"

"It's funny to me."

He chuckled, landing firmly on the ground again as two rings of light traveled over the boy, changing white hair to black and green eyes to blue. Running over to his parents, the boy flopped down on the grass beside his mother, grinning at her as he propped his head up on his arms.

"Jazz is just jealous cause I have cool powers."

"As if," Jasmine rolled her eyes, sitting at the base of the tree and folding her arms. "I don't need powers to be smarter than you."

"Jealous."

He sung out as Maddie nudged him.

"Stop bickering you two, it's too nice out for that."

"Except for that storm rolling in."

Danny pointed towards the sky, the cerulean hue shifting into a deep, dark grey as thunder rumbled in the distance.

"What a shame, we only just got here." Maddie sighed, sitting up as Danny rose next to her. "Let me wake your father and we'll go home, better not to be caught in the storm."

She said, reaching over and shaking Jack's arm as Danny began walking away from them and out into an open field as rain started sprinkling down.

"Danny? Danny, where are you going?" Maddie called, her hand falling from her husband's arm as her son continued walking away as if he were in a trance. "Jazz, wake your father." Maddie mumbled distractedly, pushing herself up as she trailed after her son. "Danny?"

"This is your fault, Mom."

He said, stopping abruptly and turning to look at her. Gasping, Maddie stared at her son as the rain grew heavier, a downpour soaking through her clothes as green eyes radiated through the growing darkness.

"Danny? What are you doing, let's go home."

"What home?" He demanded, his hands balling into fists at his sides. "The one where you dissect ghosts in our basement? The one where you'll strap me down and rip me apart? That's not a home, that's a torture chamber."

"What?" She whispered hoarsely, shaking her head as she stepped closer and reached a hand out to him. "Danny, we would never do that to you, never!"

"No? But you'd do it to him."

A flash of lightning struck, momentarily blinding the woman as she flinched away. Blinking the light from her eyes, her son stood in front of her wearing a torn jumpsuit as rain pelted against snow white hair.

"Danny-"

"Here I am, Mom. Take me down to your lab, cut me open and run your tests."

"Danny, no!"

Backing away, Maddie felt tears burning her eyes.

"But this is what you've always wanted, to rip me apart molecule by molecule, right?" Another flash of lightening had Danny stepping closer again; blood rolling down his arms as a large crimson stain began stretching across his chest. "Aren't you happy, Mom?"

He asked, blood dripping past his lips and down his chin as a hand reached out for her, his fingernails gone with bloody stumps in their place.

"I'm giving you everything you wanted. Every answer about ghosts, every specimen you need. And all it cost you was your son. Aren't you happy?"

He screamed, reaching out for her as tears cascaded down her face, her eyes closing tightly as Danny's hands grabbed ahold of her arms.

* * *

"Maddie!" Jolting awake to her husband's hushed cry, Maddie stared up at Jack who loomed over her in concern. "You were crying."

Was all he said, sliding away as she sat up slowly, her cheeks wet from fresh tears as she quickly brushed them away. Running a hand through her hair as her heart raced, her eyes looked across their cage to find her daughter curled up in the corner with her head propped against her arm as she slept.

"She fell asleep about an hour ago, couldn't hold her eyes open any longer." Jack said softly, his arm wrapping around the woman's waist as he pulled her closer to him, her head leaning back against his chest. "Are you alright?"

"What are we going to do, Jack?"

She whispered, tilting her head to look up at him, her cheek brushing against the scruff that had covered his face from his inability to shave.

"What can we do, Mad's? These cages, they're impenetrable and we have no way to fight back."

"That's not what I mean." She shook her head, her fingers grabbing ahold of his hand and intertwining them together as she held on tightly. "What are we going to do about Danny?"

There's a beat of silence as Jack ran his thumb across her hand, a heavy breath puffing out his chest before he spoke.

"What do you mean?"

"How do we fix what we've done?" Closing her eyes, Maddie could still see her son standing in front of her, blood pooling beneath him as cold, hateful eyes called out her atrocities. "How do we ever make him feel safe again?"

"We'll talk to him, we'll explain our side. We didn't know who he was; we couldn't know this would turn out this way."

"Those are just excuses," She murmured, pulling her hand away and hugging her arms around herself. "We should have seen the similarities. They both sounded the same, they even looked the same. Every time we'd ask him about school and he would go quiet, or when he would sleep through his alarms, why didn't we notice things were different?"

Clenching her fists, Maddie could feel the tears threatening to fall again, exhaustion and worry eating away at her as she stared at the bars across from them, the night sky above a mocking reminder that on any normal occasion their son would be flying through the clouds, running from his parents.

"We were too wrapped up in ourselves," Jack finally replied, shifting where he sat to pull her into his lap, arms wrapping around her as his head sunk against her shoulder. "We let our work become our priority instead of our kids. Jazz is always so put together, always handling her own problems, and Danny kept to himself. I guess we let that become our normal routine, and we forgot to check in, to make sure that they were doing alright on their own."

"Why didn't he tell us?" Maddie asked weakly, her head leaning against Jack's as her hand reached up to brush her fingers against his cheek. "Why didn't we make him feel secure enough to be able to trust us?"

"I don't know," Jack mumbled, hugging her tighter. "We can sit here and blame ourselves, we can blame Danny, we can blame the Manson's or school. But I don't think there's any one thing that led to this."

"Are you saying that to make me feel better?"

"Danny has always been closed off, kept to himself. We failed in giving him the ability to come and freely talk to us about this, but if we had, would it have changed anything?"

His question only drew a dozen more to the woman's mind, her eyes moving to her own hands, her fingers curling in as she ran through his statement.

"Maybe not," Maddie murmured, extending her fingers out again. "But I still hate that we've made him feel this way."

"Things will be better when we see him again. We just need to sit down and talk. And I'd for one like to know what happened, _how_ it happened."

"I just want to hold him, to know he's safe. Did you see him on the screen? Jack, he looked terrible."

"He was probably up most of the night. But those kids made it to the Op Center, they'll be safe there."

"Do you think they're going after those gems like that Freak wants?"

Turning around, Maddie stared up at Jack who wore a grim expression.

"Now that I know who he is, and what he can do? I have no doubt he's doing exactly that."

"We've failed as parents."

She groaned, dropping her head into her hands as Jack pulled away.

"What else could we have done, Mad's? Every parent makes mistakes. How could we have known Danny was the ghost boy unless he'd told us? Regardless of who he is, I'm proud of him." Peeking up, Jack wore a small smile as he stared out through the bars, his back shifting against them. "He has saved countless people; he's fought ghosts we've only hoped of fighting."

"He's a _child_, Jack."

"Maybe, but he's _our_ child, and we raised him well. Can you imagine if that Baxter kid had ghost powers? Amity Park would be in ruins. But our Danny? He saves people, he puts his powers to use in good ways. Maybe he's lied, and maybe as a teenager he shouldn't deal with any of this. But you can't look over the fact that our boy is a hero."

Inhaling a deep breath, Maddie let it out slowly and found herself nodding.

"Maybe we did something right after all."

"Do you remember the Fenton Finder? How we finally stuffed it away because it kept locking onto ghosts that weren't there?"

"It kept locking onto Danny."

Maddie stated, her eyes widening as Jack chuckled quietly.

"We were so sure that thing was busted, but really it had Danny pegged all along."

"And the Booo-Merang! It attacked Danny at the table that day, I was so upset with it for hurting him!"

She was laughing now too, a weak one, but it brought a smile to her face as Jack started grinning.

"How many times have our gadgets acted up, or the house, and we chalked it up to different bugs or wiring issues?"

"Oh, we were so _blind_."

She laughed harder now, shaking her head as Jack snorted.

"The Fenton Ghost Fisher," His laughter wheezed out as Maddie clamped a hand over her mouth to refrain from being any louder. "How many of our inventions do you think he has?"

"Oh, who knows? I'm sure he's what happened to the thermos."

Maddie guessed.

"The Ecto Skeleton."

"My lipstick blaster."

"My Fenton Phones."

Jack frowned, a pout settling on his face as Maddie smiled.

"You know, I knew he took those."

"What? I loved those!"

"They were easily replaced, Jack."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

He demanded as Maddie patted his arm.

"Haven't you seen Sam wear them occasionally? I thought he took them to give as a gift to her, you know, like boys do." She explained, squeezing her husband's arm as her smile faltered. "Though I suppose it wasn't for that reason after all. But if taking all those things helped to keep him safe, I'm not angry."

"I liked those Fenton Phones.."

He grumbled still.

"I hope they'll be alright. Traveling alone like that, who knows what could happen."

"If he could get by with our crazy gadgets picking on him, he'll be just fine."

Jack promised her, his pout fading as he laid back and beckoned her closer. Following after him and laying down, her head resting on his arm, she curled in towards his chest.

"We'll do better after this, we'll earn his trust, and we'll make things work."

She said firmly, her fingers trailing over his jumpsuit as he mumbled out an acknowledgement. Letting out a soft breath as Jack's evened out beside her, she stared past him and out through the bars once more.

She didn't want to fall back asleep. She didn't want to see Danny like that again, with the pain in his eyes and hatred in his words. She would give anything to be in their home, watching him shuffle in after school. Now they knew why his grades were so poor, why his teachers constantly complained about him falling asleep in class.

When they were free she would help him. They would figure out a way to make what he did safer, so it didn't interfere with his school and sleep schedule anymore. They'd work together to make him equipment that would help him, but wouldn't be at the risk of being used against him. They could make this work. They _would_ make this work. The only issue that stood in her way now was getting out of her prison and getting back to her son.

* * *

**A/N**

**Another shorter chapter, but I liked this one a lot. I think a lot of people talk so much shit about Danny's parents when honestly, they're just dumb. Obviously they don't know their son is Phantom during the series, but when they do find out? They're accepting of him. Never would they let their own obsession with wanting answers get in the way of the love they have for their son. So while writing this, I wanted to keep that in mind. I think it's very possible for them to slip over the edge and do regrettable things to Danny, but since I'm sticking to the solid plot of the original show, I really wanted their love for him (and their utter cluelessness) to shine through. Hope you guys enjoyed, I would love to hear your feedback, good or bad!**


	15. 15 - Sam

The stench was sickening, but somehow the sound was even worse. Sam cringed as a piece of flesh was pulled away, liquid dribbling down as the meat beneath was revealed. Bile threatened to rise in her throat as her head turned away, teeth scraping against bone as the meat was ripped free and devoured with the gnashing of teeth.

The clattering of porcelain brought hope to the girls mind as she dared to glance up, staring in disgust at the grease stains Tucker wiped across a napkin as he picked up yet another chicken leg and chowed down on it.

Fighting back an appalled remark, Sam looked to her left instead, staring at the raven haired boy who seemed oblivious to the carnage taking place across the table. With one hand over his cup, Sam watched as the boy absentmindedly rolled it around and around on its edges, his chin resting against his other hand as he stared blankly out the window.

As horrified as she was at how much Tucker had managed to cram into his face, she was worried about how little Danny had eaten himself. She'd been relieved when he ordered food, but four fries and half a burger in he had slid his plate away and not touched it again.

Turning to look to her right as roaring laughter echoed over to their table, Sam stared at the backs of two men sitting at the bar, one's fist slamming against the wood as he doubled over, greatly amused by whatever his friend had just said.

It wasn't hard to figure out that they were truckers, the men's rigs sitting in the back part of the lot when they'd first parked the Fenton Cruisers. Both men were rather large, one with a cap pulled over a bald head while the other wore his hair slicked back into a bun.

Flicking her gaze to the waitress standing near the cash register, their eyes met briefly, and Sam offered a small smile to the woman. There was no doubt in Sam's mind that this was a regular occurrence, especially with the diner being right off the freeway and near a popular truck stop, but she felt for her all the same.

Sam had firsthand experience with rowdy, annoying, and often times gross boys; case in point being the individual still slurping meat off chicken bones across from her. Still, the woman hadn't called the police when they'd first strolled in, and at the very least that deserved a few pleasant smiles and a large tip.

If she had been in her position, she doubted she would have even let them through the door let alone not called someone. Turning back to Danny, lavender hues studied his slouched form, relieved that the visible cuts had already faded to scars and the bruises didn't look quite as harmful.

When they'd first gotten there, they'd practically had to carry Danny inside before Tucker half led and half dragged the halfa into the bathroom and locked the door. That was the first time the waitress had stared dubiously at her.

Sam had stuttered out some excuse about crashing their four wheelers along one of the dirt roads and that it looked worse than it was, but she could tell the waitress didn't believe a word of her story.

After all, three teenagers came wandering inside a diner looking as if they'd been rolling around in the mud for the last week, not to mention the varying degrees of scrapes and bruises they all wore. And Sam didn't even want to think about what they smelled like after so long without a shower.

But the woman had brought over three glasses of water after a few minutes while Sam waited, and merely asked one question. Did she need help? Sam had shook her head earnestly, promising that they were fine, all of them.

And as if right on cue, Danny and Tucker had strolled back out into the dining area looking ten times better than when they'd walked in. For starters, Danny was actually walking. But in the time they'd spent in there, they'd washed the blood and dirt from their arms and faces, dusted off their clothes and smoothed down their hair.

Sam had left the boys alone to order while she herself went to clean up, feeling the woman's eyes on her the whole time. Closing the door and staring at herself in the mirror, she'd barely recognized herself. She knew the boys had looked raggedy, but she hadn't been prepared for her own mussed appearance.

Her hair had once again freed itself almost entirely from its elastic during their drive, and her clothes were covered in spots of dirt and debris while smelling distinctly of smoke from the explosion. Taking a few minutes to wash the mud and dried blood from her skin, Sam had used paper towels and water to spot clean what she could of her clothes before running her fingers through her hair and tying it back in her usual hairdo.

The bandage around her arm had a faint stain from the blood, and there were scratches along one of her cheeks that she could do nothing about, but compared to when she'd first caught her reflection, she looked like an entirely new person.

When she'd gotten back the boys had already ordered, and she'd found a veggie burger waiting for her. And given the diner's reputation for fixing strictly meat, she was impressed with how good it had tasted. Unfortunately, that meat menu was what brought things back around to the boy sitting in front of her devouring what had to be his fourth whole chicken.

"Can you hurry it up, Tucker? We're on a deadline." Sam complained, resting her elbows on the table and scrunching her nose up at the dish of bones across from her. "Emphasis on _dead_."

"We have to eat, Sam," The boy countered, holding up a chicken wing with a grin. "And I'm a meat connoisseur in the land of barbeque and bacon fat!"

Rolling her eyes, Sam slumped back in her seat and looked at Danny who caught her eye, offering her a faint smile that she gladly returned. It was nice to see life in those blue eyes again. All she'd seen the past couple of days were misery and fatigue. Not that she could really blame him, their trip was taking a toll on all of them.

Stifling a yawn, Sam turned back to watch the two truckers as their voices carried on tales of their travels that they were forcing the waitress to listen too. Sam had half a mind to walk over and tell them to just shut up already.

If they wanted stories about adventure, they should hear some of hers and leave the poor woman alone. And maybe she would've intervened in some way if the ten-o-clock news report hadn't decided to break her train of thought.

A jingle played from the television that was mounted in the corner of the diner as an anchorman appeared on the screen, a white banner with the words 'breaking news' directly beneath him.

"A nationwide search continues for this ghost powered teenager."

The first few words had the trio's attention immediately, Tucker's wing dropping onto his plate and Danny's cup staying firmly in place as they all stared at the screen. The picture of the anchorman slid to the side as a video clip of Danny on stage at the Dumpty Humpty concert appeared, the boy wobbling where he stood before light overtook him and he was transforming for all to see.

"Crap.."

The boy mumbled beside her, the halfa slouching down in his seat as the broadcast continued.

"As well as two of his classmates, Samantha Manson and Tucker Foley."

The video changed to two pictures of Sam and Tucker, the photographs from their Amity High year book photos as Sam's eyes widened.

"Double crap."

She muttered.

"If you have any information regarding these individuals, please contact your local authorities."

As the broadcast concluded and the anchorman introduced a weatherman onto the screen, Sam's gaze moved to the front of the diner where the waitress stood by the door to the kitchen, her eyes locked on the kids as she quickly hid something beneath her apron.

"I think we should go now." Danny said quietly, nudging Sam's arm as she shifted her eyes to the two truckers who were staring suspiciously at the three of them before turning and whispering amongst themselves. "Sam, move."

Danny said louder, a more urgent tone to his voice as Sam climbed out of the booth. As she stood, the trucker wearing a motely cap rose too, staring at her with a disturbing grin.

"And where do you think you're going, little miss?"

He barked out, a twisted grin on his face as Danny and Tucker stood beside her.

"Thanks for the food, but we've got to be going now!"

Tucker said loudly, inching closer to the doors as the second trucker moved to block his way.

"Danny."

Sam said, starting to move closer to the door only to have the capped trucker step close enough for her to smell the engine oil on his clothes. She heard the boy heave a sigh next to her, the halfa between his two friends as a weary expression crossed his face.

"Guys, just let us out."

"What are you gonna do if we don't, Casper?"

Sam bit back a groan, spotting the flicker of anger that darted across Danny's face. He hated being compared to fictional ghosts, they'd learned it was one of his biggest pet peeves.

"Say that I'm sorry about this."

He said in a tone that very clearly said he was not. Lifting his hand, a green ecto blast shot from his palm and hit the floor beside the trucker closing in on Sam. The man jumped back with a yelp as the tiled floor scorched where it had been hit, a black mar the size of his hand left smoking.

Walking closer to Tucker, the second trucker hesitated a moment, as if wondering whether or not he should try, before he made a dive for the trio. With no concern in his eyes, Danny shot another blast right at the man's feet, sending him tumbling off balance as he dodged and crashed to the floor as they quickly filed outside.

"So, I guess we've gone national."

Sam muttered as they climbed on board their cruisers and gunned the accelerators as they left the diner behind them.

"Why now? Tonight was all you could eat night!"

Tucker wailed, throwing his hands in the air in distress.

"Not if we're in jail!" The boy snapped, surprising his two friends into silence as Tucker's hands dropped into his lap. "We're supposed to be rescuing our parents, remember?" He scowled, clutching the bars of the cruiser tighter as his voice lowered. "Wherever they are."

Sam and Tucker exchanged a look as the halfa fell quiet, his outburst creating a tension that laid thick in the air.

They drove in silence for a couple of hours, nothing but the sound of air rushing past them the entire time. They'd only stopped briefly at one point when Danny quietly climbed off the cruiser and allowed Tucker to take the controls before he turned into his ghostly half and flew a few feet in front of them.

Sam's mind was reeling with everything that had happened, about what could have sent Danny over the edge, when she heard Tucker shouting.

"Look!"

Straight ahead of them was a massive purple sign with gothic lettering, advertising something that sent excitement racing through Sam.

"Gothapalooza!" She cheered, standing up as she clutched the handlebars tighter. "The ultimate celebration of despair and darkness!"

Danny's head turned, and there was a smile on his face that drew out a larger one of her own. She'd been looking forward to this event for _months_ and she couldn't believe she was finally-

"Oh my God."

The words left her before she could stop herself, her jaw dropping in horror as pulsing spotlights lit up the night sky ahead of them to the point it was practically daylight.

A deep sea of lush grass extended out into a meadow across the expanse of what should have been desert while flowers of every shade grew in masses. Signs swayed in a gentle breeze, painted letters that read _'happy' _ and _'fluffy'_ and _'cute'_ were set up around the edges and mocked her from afar.

The cruisers slowed to a stop as Danny hovered between them, expressions of confusion all around as Sam climbed off her vehicle and turned in every direction. She hadn't been prepared for this, she was expecting death metal and rockers and intense debates about death, not joyful signs and blinding spotlights.

"Uhm, are those what I think they are?"

Tucker asked, his voice squeaking out as he backed up a step. Following his pointed finger, Sam watched as a wave of plushies stampeded towards them. Hundreds of teddy bears in various shades of purple, orange, and yellow flocked around them, closing in on the trio as they grouped closer to one another.

All at once the hoard of stuffed animals stopped moving and instead stared up at the newcomers. They were disturbing on so many levels, and not just because stuffed toys were _not _supposed to walk around like that.

Their fur was stiff and bristled, their movements uniform and robotic. But the most disturbing thing about them were their eyes. Instead of having beads, or buttons, or little round gems, their eyes were _human_. Shades of blues and greens and browns were spackled throughout the bears, each pair trained on the trio as if waiting for them to move or speak or breathe.

Looking down, a yellow bear gazed up at Sam with such intensity in its brown human eyes that she wanted to puke. Suddenly the hoard spoke, tiny soprano voices ringing out as one throughout the field as they began to clamber towards the group.

"_WE__LOVE__YOU__**!"**_

They exclaimed as their small paws grappled at the three and began to climb their legs, reaching out to them desperately. Sam wasn't sure if they were attacking or if they were trying to show affection, but either way they needed to die.

"Destroy them, Danny!" She yelled, kicking her leg out and sending one of the bears flying out into the crowd of stuffed nightmares. "Find the gem that did this and rip the stuffing out of every last one of them!"

Her screams were louder than the eager chattering of the plushies, her movements filled with rage as she systematically took every bear that lunged at her and threw, kicked, or punted it away. She was a one woman stuffed bear killing machine, and she had to admit, it felt _good_.

"Somehow I don't think that will be necessary."

The halfa said slowly, watching her massacre in disbelief. As one grabbed ahold of her waist, she let out another scream and grabbed it by its ears, starting to pull at the seams as Tucker grabbed her arms.

"Maybe we shouldn't decapitate the fluffy teddy bears."

He suggested, taking the bear from her hands and tossing it away as she glowered at him before hearing Danny snicker beside her.

"Don't laugh, not all of us can fly!"

She shot back, picking up a bear and chucking it at the boy's head. Danny dodged easily, a grin on his lips as he floated closer to the hoard.

"May I have the gem of form?"

He asked politely as every bear stopped moving, their heads turning as one to stare up at the ghost boy.

"_SAY THE MAGIC WORD."_

They spoke together, their high pitched voices a grating pain against the girl's ears.

"Die."

She spat out, chucking two more bears away as she ground her teeth.

"Please?"

Danny spoke, raising his brows in expectation as the toys began to part around them, revealing a bear that carried a glowing yellow gem high in the air. Sam let out a scoff, folding her arms across her chest in disgust at how well that had worked.

Taking the gem carefully from the bear, Danny said his thanks and held the stone aloft. He stared at it for a few moments, seeming to inspect the cuts in the gemstone before he held it out and closed his eyes, focusing on some thought or idea.

Sam started to speak up before the gem began to glow a blinding yellow, forcing the girl to close her eyes and turn away. She could feel Tucker's hands on her arms, and as the yellow glow faded away, an intense darkness replaced it.

Gone were the horrific teddy bears with their realistic eyes and putrid desire for affection. In their places were men and woman, teenagers and kids, all roaming around the desert as if nothing had happened.

Where groves of flowers had been was now a giant stage where rock music blared from speakers and dozens of people were head banging to the tunes. Where big signs spewing cute saying had been stamped into the ground were now trucks and stands serving food and offering souvenirs for the event.

And where two bears had been clinging onto Sam were now two guys, each with enough piercings and metal in their bodies and on their clothes to open their own jewelry stores. Sam felt herself relax, her scowl turning into a smirk as her arms wrapped around the two confused guys and sighed contently.

"I love the smell of antiestablishment in the evenings."

She said, spotting Tucker rolling his eyes. Danny approached from her other side as the two guys pulled away and headed off in the direction of a food truck as Danny held the gem victoriously.

"Two gems down, one to go." He stated, pulling out the thermos and dropping the second gem inside. "And less than twenty four hours to find it."

He continued, his smile fading as he passed the thermos back to Tucker who slipped it inside his bag. Making their way back to the cruisers, the two guys who had been with Sam bolted past them, their screams stopping the trio in their tracks as Danny's head whipped around, the three watching as the event dissolved into a sudden panic.

People who had previously been rocking to the music and purchasing skull and bones bobble heads were now in hysteria, gathering their things and shoving people aside as they ran.

"What's happening?"

Sam yelled over the commotion, standing on her toes as she strained to see past the screaming masses.

"How the hell did they find us?"

Danny yelled, confusion switching to frustration as he hovered in the air for a better view.

"Who-"

Tucker's question died on his lips as a single rocket flew right towards them, soaring overhead before crashing into a rock formation only a few yards behind them. With a yelp Tucker dove for his cruiser, only to be yanked away by the halfa as another blast struck the machine, sending it flying into the air as it caught on fire.

"We've gotta run!"

Sam shouted, afraid to go for her own cruiser as a white tank climbed a hill and stopped near the stage. Neither group moved, Sam's eyes locked onto the cold machine and the colder men inside. If there had been any doubt in her mind about their intentions to hurt them back in Florida, those had instantly disappeared. They wanted Danny so badly they didn't care who they hurt in the fight.

A shudder seemed to jolt through the tank, and before Sam could say a word another missile was launching out of it and straight at them. She could see the weapon growing closer, could hear the wind that whistled around it as it hurtled towards them, intent on their destruction.

At least in Florida they'd stood a chance with their cruisers, but there was no way they'd outrun the weapons on foot. Was this how they would die? Backing up a step, Sam clenched her fingers and felt sweat on her palms, fear coursing through her as the missile closed the distance faster than she'd hoped it would.

Would Freakshow kill her parents now? They had their differences, and they got on her nerves _all_ the time, but they were still her parents. Every time she needed them, they were there. And now that they needed her? She hated the Guys in White with every fiber of her being. If she ever had the chance, she would make their lives hell.

The missile was almost on them, the massive explosive bearing down as Sam bit down hard on her lip, afraid to take her eyes off it for even a moment when she felt Danny's hand on her shoulder. Despite herself, Sam glanced up and found the boy wasn't there. Looking down at her hands, a strangled laugh forced its way past her chapped lips.

The missile hit their group and flew right through, crashing instead into a hill and sending pieces of rock and gravel flying away from it. Danny's hand shifted from her shoulder to her back, his fingers curling into her shirt as her feet left the ground.

"They just won't stop, will they?"

Tucker grumbled, folding his arms as Danny carried them towards a large rock formation. Unable to stop herself from bracing for impact, Sam closed her eyes as the trio phased through the boulders, the sound of explosions disappearing behind them.

A chill washed over Sam as she opened her eyes, the darkness around them stifling. The only feeling she had was Danny's hand curled against her back, and even then it was freezing. Her chest constricted painfully, fear weighing down in her stomach as they came out on the other side of the event and moonlight hit her eyes.

Already she felt better, a sigh of relief slipping past as she peered up at the halfa carrying them. His eyes were a brighter shade than usual while a look of intense concentration was the only expression he wore.

"There."

His words startled her as Sam looked down, a highway below them that was empty save a semi-truck driving down the road. Picking up his speed, Danny carried them down and phased them through the truck, depositing his friends in the middle of the cargo as they regained their tangibility.

"How do they keep finding us?"

Tucker demanded, rolling his shoulder a couple of times while straightening his shirt. Running her hands down her arms, Sam tilted her head until her neck cracked, the tension in her chest easing.

"Maybe they're tracking us, or maybe they know the locations of the gems too and are anticipating where we'll be?"

She offered, looking around at the stacks of newspapers bundled up all around them. Tucker was already making himself comfortable, perching on top of one of the smaller stacks as Danny pried a paper from the top of another bundle.

"What's this?" He murmured, holding the paper up as his back tensed before he was turning around and thrusting the paper out to his friends. "Great, we're America's most wanted."

Walking closer to see the paper that was only lit up by Danny's ethereal glow, Sam groaned.

"This is _so_ not good."

She muttered, feeling Tucker beside her as he pulled his phone from his bag and shined the light to see better. In big lettering the headline read '_**Ghost Kid And Friends Still Missing'**_ and underneath were pictures of the three of them.

It was obvious the reporter had gotten hers and Tucker's from their yearbook, same as the news station, the cheesy grins on both their faces enough to make her regret going in for those all over again. Danny's however was a picture of him in his ghost form, a photograph that looked more like a mugshot than anything else.

"Well, we're screwed."

Tucker said in a matter of fact manner as he fell back onto his stack of papers and turned the light off, the truck submerged back into darkness aside from the dull white glow that emanated from their friend.

"Maybe not. We only have one gem left to find right? Then we'll get to our parents, and take down Freakshow."

Sam said firmly, looking between the two boys. Tucker remained quiet, lounging back as he rooted through his bag. Danny on the other hand stood a couple feet away, his back once more to the two of them.

"Right, Danny?"

Sam asked, stepping closer to the boy as he sat down on a stack in the corner.

"Sure."

The answer was flippant and muttered with a sigh, leaving the girl standing unsteadily as the trucks tires hit various potholes. Looking down at her hands, Sam frowned and crossed her arms.

"You should get some rest while you can."

Danny said, looking over his shoulder at her as Sam met his eyes. She wanted to be angry at him for how distant he was being and for snapping at Tucker, but he looked so beaten down. He was sitting slumped against another stack of papers, and his eyes were broken in a way that made her heart ache.

"I'm fine, you're the one who should rest."

"Later."

He said, flashing her a weak smile that faded as soon as it appeared. Backing away and finding her own stack of newspapers, Sam sat down and leaned back, staring up at the ceiling of the truck as a heavy weight settled over her.

They were so close to their goal, so close to freeing their parents and dealing with Freakshow. But they were all exhausted, all worn down. The question was no longer if they would find the gems in time, or even if they would succeed in rescuing their families. No, now the question that made her blood run cold was wondering how much of themselves would still be left when it all came to an end.

* * *

**A/N**

**For anyone who has seen the actual episode that this fanfiction is based off of, during the part where they're at Gothapalooza and the bears attack, Sam actually does rip a teddy bears head off. And when watching that episode, and seeing how the bears were actually people, it dawned on me that Sam straight up murdered someone. Which begs the question, did the person come back to life when Danny changed things back, or was there just a body laying somewhere in the midst of it all that had its head ripped off by one severely pissed off Sam Manson? Something I'm deeply curious about.. but also why I actually deviated from that part of the episode.**


	16. 16 - Jack

The heat was stifling, sweat dripping down the man's face as he leaned his head back against the bars in disgust. He was sure he reeked like a pig sty; after all it had been two days since he'd last looked at a shower, and then being left out in the sun to fry like an egg was sure to make him offend even the flies.

His wife was a saint despite that however, staying by his side during the day and curling into him to sleep at night. Whether she had gone nose blind to his stench or she just needed the comfort he wasn't sure, but he wasn't about to question it either.

Jasmine on the other hand stayed as far away as possible, though he was fairly certain that was due to her still being furious at the two of them over Danny.

Running a hand down his face where a beard had begun to grow, Jack closed his eyes tightly and sighed. He could hear the Manson's and the Foley's behind him, each family muttering about him and his family with increasingly hateful words and tones.

Everyone was bored senseless, and they'd found entertainment in the various ways they'd ruin his business or run them out of town. At this point, even Jack was considering how bad it would be to try and make a fresh start somewhere else.

Although they had the portal to worry about, and Danny. Danny wouldn't leave Amity Park so long as there was still such a strong ghost threat present. How had everything gotten so convoluted and mangled?

Rubbing at his forehead, Jack felt the train car shake, his eyes opening beneath his palm as his daughter paced back and forth in the small enclosure. Her face was red and she had dark circles beneath her eyes. Her hair was frizzy from the humidity and her shirt was torn at the shoulder from their last desperate attempt to squeeze her through the bars.

When they'd offered the idea she had nodded her approval, willing to try anything for an escape. But after an hour of exertion from prying at the bars and her trying to force her way through, they were all exhausted.

How Jazz even had the energy to pace was beyond him as the sun made their cage unbearably hot, the metal bars scorching their skin and the floor making a furnace seem chilly.

But at least the Freak had been humane. He'd made sure they had water, though only the bare minimum to get them by. And the few times his wife or daughter had to use the bathroom, he'd allowed his ghost to escort them inside.

Yet he never let that thing anywhere near Jack. He liked to think it was because he was a threat, that the Freak knew if he got free he'd wring his neck like a dishrag. But a piece of him knew that wasn't the case. It was a torture just for him, not even allowing him a chance to fight for his freedom or defend his family.

They were just animals locked away for his show waiting for the next event to jump through hoops or dance around the ring.

Jasmine paced faster, her eyes locked firmly on the floor as she chewed absentmindedly on her lip, the gears in her head turning as she walked twelve paces, turned, and walked twelve more over and over again. At the very least he could've given them a bigger prison, one where the three of them weren't constantly tripping over one another whenever they moved.

Closing his eyes again the man massaged his temples, feeling a headache rising once more as the afternoon light scorched his eyes. He was fantasizing about a giant glass of lemonade by a poolside with Freakshow's head next to him when he heard the cackling. It started down at the beginning of the train and as it grew closer Jack felt his blood pressure rise.

Pushing himself up, Maddie stepped next to him, her hand resting lightly on his arm in a calming manner. When the Freak first came into view, he was sauntering with an air of victory, a delighted grin plastered across a skeletal face that made the man sick to his stomach.

Had something happened to the kids? Is that why he seemed so giddy? If he touched a hair on his sons head, he would kill him. He would rip him apart, he would-

"Your beloved children have but a day to return my gems." Freakshow spoke loudly, pausing at the Manson's cage as he looked between Sam's parents before moving forwards. "Should they fail," Another pause and an amused sneer shot towards the Foley's. "Well, let's just say, I've got plans."

He finished, stopping in front of the Fenton's with a triumphant smile as he clasped his hands behind his back and stared Jack in the eyes.

"So, in other words," Jasmine's voice spoke up strong and clear as she stepped closer to the bars, her small frame still towering over the short sociopathic man. "We're just going to sit around until you get your stones?" The teenager scoffed as she shook her head, attracting the attention of the Freak as his smile faltered. "Not much of a bad guy, are you?"

Freakshow's glimmering façade slipped away, his thin lips twisting into a disgusted snarl as he took a step closer and stared at the girl.

"What's that?"

It was a threat, daring her to say more, and Jack was tempted to intervene. But the way Jazz held herself, her body language relaxed but her eyes calculating, Jack found himself simply watching the exchange instead.

"Well, you don't have any powers," Jazz reasoned, shrugging her shoulders. "I mean _technically_ Lydia is a lot stronger than you and without _her_-"

"I will _not_ be _upstaged_ by _ghosts_!"

The Freak screamed, saliva spewing from his mouth as he cut the girl off, rage burning in his eyes as he lunged towards her, his face right next to the bars as Jasmine shuffled back a single step, her hands trembling behind her back as she stared him down.

"Wow, jealous much?"

Jasmine snickered, glancing at Maddie who returned her look, something Jack couldn't even hope to understand passing between mother and daughter as Jasmine's gaze returned to their captor.

"Of ghosts?" Freakshow gaped, backing away with a feigned look of innocence, his explosion switching immediately to a once more controlled demeanor. "Untrue, I love ghosts. I've worked with them all my life."

He said proudly, offering a swooping showman's bow as Jasmine rolled her eyes.

"By seeking to control them?" Leaning forwards, Jasmine smirked. "That's ghost envy if I've ever seen it."

"I don't have ghost envy!"

He shrieked, his left eye twitching. Jasmine pulled away and stared at him with a knowing look as the ghost who had captured them phased through one of the train cars, landing outside on the ground while adjusting her cloak. Whirling around, Freakshow's body tensed, his hands clenching into fists as he took a step towards the spiked ghost.

"Use the door like a _person_!"

He screamed, the ghost's eyes widening in shock as Freakshow stormed off, muttering to himself as the glowing woman glanced at the Fenton's, the confusion palpable on her face.

"He's having a bad day."

Jazz shrugged as Lydia took off after her ringmaster.

"What was that all about?"

Jack questioned, staring after the two until they were out of eyesight.

"Ghost envy, it's obvious he has it." His daughter explained, though those words meant nothing to the man as he stared blankly at her. "It's psychology, dad."

The girl rolled her eyes, turning away from her parents and retreating back to the corner she'd claimed as her own.

"Do you understand anything she goes on about?"

Jack demanded as Maddie smiled sadly, patting his arm.

"It's alright, dear. She just wanted to get him riled up, that's all."

"That's not a good idea, who knows what that Freak will do to her if she makes him that angry."

Sitting down and running his hand down his face, Maddie sat in front of him.

"We have to remember, she has just as much experience with ghosts as Danny does. She.." Maddie trailed off, taking a deep breath as she took Jack's hand in her own. "They've been fighting for a while now, perhaps she knows more than we give her credit for."

"Hmph. I still don't like it. If that Freak lays a hand on her I'll rip him apart."

Jack grumbled, looking to the other train cars as the Foley's quickly turned away, pretending they hadn't been eavesdropping on their conversation.

"Things will be okay, Jack. I believe Danny will bring the gems."

"We haven't heard from them in a while."

He said in a softer voice, his eyes flitting to their linked hands.

"I'm sure they're fine."

He could hear it in her voice, the forced optimism. She had to believe they were fine or she would break down again. He knew the nightmares she'd been having were awful even though she wouldn't talk to him about them. Whenever she woke up crying, or she shook in her sleep, he knew it was bad.

"Yeah, you're right."

He agreed, pulling her close regardless of the sticky heat. Sometimes being there for one another was more important than trying not to sweat on the other.

Resting his chin on the top of Maddie's head, Jack watched Jazz in the corner, a small notebook and pen in hand that she occasionally scribbled something down in. She'd formulated some sort of plan, she got that same look in her eyes that Maddie always did when a new gadget idea struck her. But he couldn't help the worry that ate away at his insides.

He knew his kids were growing up, and that they were a lot more so than he would've ever guessed. But that didn't mean he could just let them run head first into danger. Whatever Jazz had planned, he needed to make sure she stayed safe about it. And Danny, well, he just wanted to know that his boy was alright, that was all he cared about.

* * *

**A/N**

**We're down to the last ten chapters! I'm really looking forward to writing the final fight scenes, there's gonna be so much angst. Also, in the next few chapters I'll be writing the Guys In White perspective, which I think will be challenging but maybe give some perspective too into why they're so intent on using such force against Danny and his friends. Thanks for reading, guys!**


	17. 17 - Danny

"Let me go!" Saliva mixed with blood flew from the boy's mouth as he struggled against the chains, the shackles cutting into his skin and drawing out a mixture of crimson and ecto blood that coated the bindings and made them slide around his wrists. "You can't do this to me, let me go!"

His voice was hoarse, his throat begging for water that they refused to give. But he wouldn't stop, he couldn't. If he kept shouting, kept pleading and begging and crying, maybe they would free him. Maybe those devils dressed in white would find a shred of decency in their blackened souls and let him go back to his family.

"You don't get to decide what we can and can't do, ghost boy."

A harsh voice echoed from behind him, the boy's head straining to look around in desperation. It wasn't easy, not with the way they'd kept him locked down, the bindings tight around his wrists and ankles with a collar around his neck that sent an electrical charge shooting through his broken frame every few minutes to keep him docile.

Around his waist was the worst though, a belt they'd designed to keep the boy from transforming and using his abilities. He wasn't quite sure how it worked, but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't change himself back and he couldn't phase himself out of his chains. Whether they wanted more access to the ecto blood that ran through him or they just couldn't bear to look the fourteen year old in his human eyes he wasn't sure.

In front of him, drenched in the blinding glow of a spotlight was a pristine table that reeked of chemicals, bleach and formaldehyde burning his nose and stinging his eyes. Beside the table sat a tray holding scalpels and saws and jars, both empty and filled, with colored liquids.

He hadn't allowed himself to look there for very long, each time he did the panic rose in his throat and threatened to drag him into a frenzy he was afraid he wouldn't be able to pull himself back from.

"Please, don't do this. I just wanted to help that's all, I swear."

Struggling to stand upright instead of hanging by his hands, Danny could feel the presence of the men behind him.

"You call what you did _helping_? You're a menace, nothing more than a glorified corpse. You go against every law of nature and then some. You weren't helping anyone but yourself."

The voice scoffed, heavy footfalls sauntering forwards as one of the men came into view. Danny wasn't sure what he'd expected, but somehow the man still wearing his spotless white suit and dark shades was the last thing he'd have thought.

"It wasn't my fault, I didn't ask to be like this, to be some freak!"

He screamed, his voice cracking as tears dripped down his face and fell to the tiled floor below.

"You expect us to believe that?"

He moved fast, fingers tightening in snow white hair as the teenager's head was yanked up, pain shooting through his skull and tingling down his neck.

"I have a family."

He whispered, his swollen lip quivering as the man gave him a twisted smile.

"You did; until they gave you to us. Just threw you away like the disgusting trash you are." Letting go of his hair, Danny's head fell, his teeth clenching as he stifled a sob. He wasn't lying. His parents hadn't accepted him, they'd just let them come and take him away. At least that was their final act of kindness, he supposed. They weren't the ones about to cut him open. "Don't act like you feel emotion, Phantom. Ghosts can't feel."

"I'm only half ghost, you jackass."

Danny spat, lifting his head as green eyes glared at the devil incarnate.

"Watch your tone with me, boy."

He warned, walking over to the small tray and picking up a scalpel, holding it up to the light. Swallowing thickly, Danny watched as he walked back over to him.

"You're right though, of course. You're only half ghost. How does that work, anyway? Half alive yet half dead. See, we have a theory we're working on." Kneeling down next to the boy, he looked up at him and held up the scalpel. "We think that you're more ghost than human. That your human half is a disguise more than anything else. Just a way to survive, hide amongst the masses."

"I go to school, I have friends, a sister, a _life_."

"That's ironic, coming from a ghost."

He snorted, reaching up and pressing the tip of the scalpel against the halfa's bicep, the point digging in as Danny ground his teeth.

"You'll kill me then, is that it? To get your answers? Will you be satisfied when my blood is all over your hands?"

He demanded, thrusting himself forward as the chains rattled, electricity sparking through the collar and racing through his body, taking what little fight he'd gathered out as he slumped back, the shackles digging into him once more as he hung limply from the chains.

"We have no plans to kill you, Phantom. You're going to have a very long, and probably painful, existence." He explained, digging the scalpel in further now as a mix of red and green blood began to trickle from the boy's arm. "What we learn from you will kick start so many things. Hell, we might even find a cure to some disease while we're at it. Who knows what treasures you hold?"

With a steady hand, the man slid the scalpel down the length of his bicep as Danny screamed, his body tensing as the knife cut through skin and muscle and allowed his blood to flow freely. Pulling the blade out at his elbow, the man stood, carefully placing the scalpel on the tray and retrieving an empty jar. Unscrewing the top and holding it beneath him, Danny's blood dripped into the container.

"You're.. sick.."

Danny panted, his vision blurring as pain burned through him.

"Not sick; curious. There's a difference."

"Yeah? Go to hell."

Spitting at the man, green blood spewed towards him, speckling and staining his white jacket in droplets as he froze, placing the jar stiffly on the floor.

"I could've been civil about this."

He said slowly, the ice in his tone enough the freeze an ocean as Danny swallowed, his fists clenching against his bindings.

"I don't think you know the meaning of that word."

The halfa's voice rasped out as the man rose, stalking over to the tray and picking up a medical saw.

"What, you thought I wasn't being kind? That just then I wasn't being _gentle_?" He demanded, stalking over to the boy and tilting his chin up with the tip of the blade. "You're about to see what happens when I'm angry."

"Just don't get your suit dirty."

Danny smirked, his eyes flashing as their eyes locked for the briefest moment. The next Danny's eyes were closed, unwilling to look as the edge of the saw dug into his chest and cut down the length of his abdomen. His screams echoed off the walls, his mind swimming as he rode the waves of pain and agony and suffering over and over again.

He could feel every slice, every cut, every piece of fileted skin that was pulled away from his body. He could feel the man's hands inside his chest, breaking apart his ribs and squeezing his organs. Fire danced behind his eyelids and tears of blood trickled down his cheeks.

He'd only wanted to help, he'd only wanted to make a difference. All that time he'd been dancing that line between life and death, but all life had brought him was unending agony and now all he wanted was death. Kill him. Please, just end his suffering. Put an end to it all _please_.

_Just_

_ Let_

_ It_

_ End_

* * *

Danny awoke with a scream he could only barely contain, his body jolting up from his stack of newspapers as he stared across the pitch dark truck, his breaths short and ragged. His hands were trembling as he ran them through his hair, sweat gathered on his face as looked up at the ceiling of the truck and tried to breathe. Just breathe.

Tears burned at the back of his eyes as he curled into himself, his arms wrapping weakly around his knees as he tugged them close to his chest. The smaller he was the harder he was to reach. That was how it worked, right?

Blinking rapidly, he stared into the dark until his eyes began to adjust, able to make out the faintest shapes of the other stacks of papers littered throughout the cab. His heart continued to race, the dream fresh in his mind as he grimaced, his fingers running down his chest and feeling for the slice that had felt so real. So painful.

Tucking his head against his arms and staring at his lap, he clenched his fists and gripped his knees tighter. It was just a dream, nothing more. Just a nightmare. He was used to those, it was nothing new. He just needed to calm down and relax. But that was easier said than done.

With every bump of the road the boy was jolting, looking up in fear and anticipation. The Guys in White, they'd find him, they always did. They were getting closer and closer and they had already shown what they were willing to do to get him in their grasp.

Standing up and pacing the small area he had claimed as his own, the boy was tempted to go for a flight, just to breathe the fresh air and not feel so trapped. But he was exhausted, that was the third nightmare he'd had since trying to sleep and each one ended up being worse than the last.

He'd barely gotten any rest, and then there was the fear that if he did go off on his own that the Guys in White would find him and he'd be captured, leaving his friends and his parents trapped and at Freakshow's mercy.

Falling against the side of the truck and sliding down to the floor Danny buried his face in his hands, tears falling fast as he fought to silence the sobs, the halfa desperately trying to keep his breakdown silent.

Sam and Tucker had their own problems, and they were exhausted after the day they'd had. Between the Op Center blowing up and them running, and then the Cruiser blowing up and them running, they needed their sleep. Besides, what could they do?

He couldn't tell them how scared he was, they needed him. They needed him to find the gems and to defeat Freakshow. They needed him to stay strong and save their families. They needed him to not be an emotional wreck at every turn.

Choking back another sob, Danny's shoulders shuddered as he carefully covered his mouth with his hand, forcing his next hiccupping breath out as quietly as possible.

God, everything was such a mess. He wanted to see his family so badly, he wanted to hug his parents and have them be excited and happy to see him. He wanted them to tell him that they were proud of him, that they were okay with what he was and that they still loved him.

But his nightmares were so real, and his fears that they'd come true even more so. What would he do if his parents didn't accept him? Would they really throw him away, hand him over to his enemies just because of what he was? It wasn't his fault, and if he could go back in time, part of him would never have stepped foot into that stupid machine. Maybe then the ghosts wouldn't be wreaking havoc on Amity Park. Maybe the Guys in White were right, maybe all this _was _his fault.

Huddling in the corner hidden behind a partial stack of papers he buried his face in his arms again and pulled his legs up close. Small, unimportant, unnoticeable. Geez, when had _he_ become such a mess?

He used to revel in his powers, used to enjoy going out every night and kicking some ghost butt. Hell, even running from his parents was an adrenaline rush he'd craved once in a while. And then Jazz found out and he'd felt less guilty about keeping things from his parents and it was nice. Everything had sort of settled, and he was happy.

But then things just went downhill before he knew what was happening. The attacks were constant, his grades fell even further, he was getting less and less sleep, and his parents were becoming more and more insistent on capturing his other half.

His dream had dissolved into a raging nightmare that he couldn't wake up from, and now things were getting increasingly worse. Danny couldn't even remember the last time he'd managed to get more than two hours of sleep at one given time.

He survived, he managed, mostly in part to his ghostly half he was sure. He didn't need as much rest as a full human, not as much food or water. At least that's what he told himself. Because there wasn't _time_ anymore. Not enough time for friends and family and school and sleep and homework and ghost fighting.

So he had to cut things out. And he justified it by reminding himself that he was a _hero_. That he _saved_ people. That Amity Park _needed_ him. But was that even the case anymore? Since the beginning all kinds of ghost hunters had popped up all over the place. Now telling himself that he was needed felt more like a reason to force himself to keep going than anything else.

Wiping his face and sniffling, Danny stared across the truck blankly, a numbness washing over him once the tears were done that mixed with weariness. His eyes burned and his body felt sluggish, but his mind was running nonstop.

They only had one more gem left to get and then they could find Freakshow. The little weasel wouldn't be so hard to beat so long as they made sure to keep the gems from his grasp, but it was still a day to go at least.

By the time they got the gem and found a way to contact him, and then made their way back, the three days would be gone by then. Would he keep their families alive for the promise of the gems, or would they find out it was all for nothing?

The sound of papers rustling stole his attention as Danny caught his breath and stared through the darkness, watching a form turn over and settle back down. Sam.

That was just one more thing he hated himself for; dragging his friends into this mess. He shared everything with them, and even if they hadn't been there during the accident, he knew without a doubt that he'd have shared his secret with them the first chance he'd got. But this was different.

They were always involved in the fights, but the ghosts he fought rarely pulled low blows and left them alone unless they directly involved themselves. But the Guys in White didn't care. If they hadn't gotten out of the Op Center in time, they'd have died. And he couldn't live with that. He couldn't lose them, not like that. Not because of him.

And not before he had a chance to figure things out with Sam. Those shared looks and those little moments that existed just between them. They felt so strange, yet happened so naturally. They were best friends, so he never wanted to ask her if she felt the same way, there was just too much to ruin. But he'd also kick himself if something happened and all those questions were left unasked, and more importantly unanswered.

Sighing softly, Danny shifted where he sat, tilting his head against the cool metal of the truck as his thoughts bounced and twirled and banged around on the inside of his brain. He was just beginning to consider another attempt at sleeping again when he felt the truck slow down, slower and slower still until they were at a dead stop.

Panic rushed through the halfa as he stood, the truck suddenly lumbering on again as he fell back against the wall only to slow once more a few moments later. Taking a breath and turning into his ghostly half, the light that surrounded him was blinding in the darkness, and he heard his friends groan at the rude awakening.

Ignoring them and turning himself intangible, Danny poked his head through the side of the truck and squinted into the morning light, looking around as the truck slowed to another stop at a red light.

Ducking back inside, Danny found his friends up and ready, though Sam's ponytail was a bit lopsided and Tucker held his glasses rather than wearing them. Grabbing their arms, Danny carried them out of the truck right as it started driving again and deposited them on the empty sidewalk.

"Good morning I guess."

Tucker grumbled, yawning as he stretched his arms above his head.

"Are we close to the convention center?"

Sam questioned, stifling her own yawn as she rubbed at her eyes.

"Uhm, I'm not sure."

Danny said, looking around them at the street and shops. Turning around, the boy froze, his mouth falling open as he stared up at a large billboard above their heads. Instead of displaying a trailer for an upcoming movie or some weird new product meant to remove hair and get rid of body order at the same time, it was a picture of him.

A photograph of Danny Fenton, staring back at him with bright blue eyes and dark black hair. And then as if someone flipped a switch the picture changed like he did, a light moving over his face until his ghost half was the one staring at him, all in its white haired and green eyed glory.

"This is bad.."

He mumbled, tuning and spotting a line of posters covering a bus bench, all with one of the two different version of himself on it.

"Uh, Danny?"

Sam was beside him, pointing towards a bus as it rounded the corner, a massive sign displaying him once again stretched across the side.

"Wow, you're a star."

Tucker observed, pointing to a sign in a shop window that had large, pulsing letters that read **'Identity Of The Ghost Boy Discovered'**

"We need to go.."

He said, turning around and nearly crashing into a woman. Stumbling back and muttering an apology, a bright flash of light went off in his eyes, dazing the halfa as Tucker caught him before he fell back into the road.

"Over here! Danny Phantom, over here!"

Out of nowhere people began to flood around them, everyone clambering towards the boy as cameras went off in his face and microphones were shoved against him. Voices were going off in every direction, mixing together into a muddled form of sensory overload that left the boy stiff in his spot, his arms raised to cover his face as Sam and Tucker began to push and shove back at the masses.

Panic was rising in the boy's chest, the realization that any one of the dozens clambering around him could alert the Guys in White to their location. He felt like throwing up, but he didn't have enough food in his stomach to even make it worth it. Dropping his arms and grabbing his friends' wrists, Danny turned the three of them intangible and fell through the ground.

He heard Sam yelp in surprise, the lack of notice his only choice to leave the crowds behind as they fell further and further until they were falling into the subway station below. Letting go of his friends as soon as they hit solid ground, Danny stumbled back against a payphone booth.

He could hear the blood roaring in his ears, his heart racing in his chest as he wondered how long it would be until they showed up. How long before the next attack. How long until-

"Danny?"

Heat flooded through him. Her hand was so _warm_. His body always ran cold, colder than any normal person's might, but she was warm and gentle and her eyes were-

"Danny, are you alright?"

She was standing next to him, her hands on his arms as she stared up at him, concern laced through her lavender eyes while her lips formed a worried line.

"I'm fine." He managed to force out, focusing on the way she had managed to ground him. So many questions, never the right time. "We just gotta find a train headed for the comic book convention without drawing any attention."

No sooner were the words out of his mouth when the halfa felt someone behind him.

"Dude!" The voice spoke loudly, making the boy flinch as he turned, not quite sure what exactly he was looking at. "Great costume!"

It was like staring at some warped version of himself from a really far off distant reality. The boy in front of him had red hair that covered half his face and drooping eyes that looked as if he'd been doing a recreational activity frowned on by most in the bathroom before uttering his statement.

His outfit was what threw him off though, the jumpsuit a crude design that matched his own. Black and white, with a crooked '_P_' stitched into the middle of the chest. The kid sauntered off, seemingly satisfied with his remark as Danny's gaze followed him, moving around his friends to see lines people had formed while waiting to board the train, with over half of the group dressed like either him or Sam.

Tall girls with blonde and brown hair styled in high ponytails and wearing checkered skirts and high combat boots littered the area, while every third guy was showing off his styled jumpsuit to a group of friends.

Glancing down at his hands, Danny stared at the faint white ethereal light that glowed off him and realized why the boy had felt the urge to comment. Compared to everyone else, his was the best. Granted his was the original, but still.

"I think we found our train."

Tucker grinned, stepping forward as his eyes scanned the crowds.

"Is this as weird for you as it is for me?"

Sam mumbled next to the halfa as Danny felt his head bob.

"What's that old show you like, you know, where the weird stuff always happens?"

"The Twilight Zone?"

"Yeah, this is _totally_ a Twilight Zone moment."

Sam snickered at his comment as Tucker looked back at them with an annoyed expression.

"What, no Tucker's? Am I not geek worthy?"

Raising his arms in anguish Danny felt himself smiling, running his eyes through the crowd once more to see if the boy was right.

"Over there!"

A barking voice that sent shivers down Danny's spine pulled him from his search, his blood turning to ice in his veins as he turned his head, eyes widening in fear at the two men that stood near the entrance of the station.

Shuffling back a step, Danny couldn't breathe. His lungs were crying out for oxygen but it was like he'd forgotten how to take a breath. He was lightheaded and his stomach was churning. This wasn't a nightmare anymore, this was real life, and they'd found him yet again. They were so close he could see the guns hanging at their sides and the cruel looks twisting their faces. They were going to grab him, they were-

"It's okay." The words were soft, spoken barely above a whisper right next to his ear as Sam's hand slipped into his, her fingers tightening around his own as her other hand tugged lightly at his arm. "We need to go."

She urged, twisting her body around until he was looking at her instead of them. Somehow the warmth was in her eyes, too.

"Yeah."

He nodded, following his friends as they wove in and out of the crowds, ducking behind groups of teenagers and stumbling around luggage.

"Okay, spook boy, it's all over."

The voice was further back, and the boy dared to look over his shoulder as one of the Guys in White grabbed ahold of a boy and turned him around, the white wig shifting off the boy's head.

"Paws off! This suit's handmade!"

The boy snapped, pulling away from the men as Danny smirked, feeling Sam's hand tighten around his as they boarded the train. Tucker led them around another group until they found seats at the window, the trio quickly claiming them as theirs.

Settling down, Tucker began to rifle through his bag, a few comic books and the thermos poking out the top as Danny looked out the window. He could see the men grabbing random kids and searching them before reaching for the next, the group dwindling down as the train filled and the doors slid closed, much to the boy's relief.

"Look."

He told his friends, motioning out the window where the Guys in White had finally turned their way, staring directly at the ghost boy and his friends. Mustering up a cheeky smile, the boy gave a slight wave that his friends mimicked, waving at the government men as the train pulled out of the station and left the threat behind.

Settling back once again, Danny looked down at his and Sam's hands still intertwined. Turning to the girl, her eyes were on her shoes and her face had turned a scarlet hue.

"Thanks, you know, for pulling me out of it back there."

He said, his hand turning to lead as their grip remained intact.

"Yeah, of course. Couldn't just leave you."

She answered flippantly, their hands still not moving.

"Well-"

"I-"

They spoke together, their eyes flitting up to each other before back down again, Danny's face warming as well.

"You don't have to pretend you know, not with us."

She said quietly as Danny looked up, her eyes still on her shoes as he glanced at Tucker who had started a lively conversation with his seatmate about one of his comics.

"What?"

"I know they scare you. They scare me, too." A weight settled in the boy's stomach, his head turning away as her fingers tightened around his. "I could hear you last night. You were muttering in your sleep, you were.." She didn't finish the sentence, something he was grateful for. "But you can talk to me. Or Tucker. We care about you Danny, you don't have to go through all this alone."

He couldn't speak, the lump in his throat was too big. And even if he could, what could he possibly say to her? That if he could go back he'd protect her better? That everything that had happened had taken so much more out of him than he'd ever thought possible?

Or that all these kids on the train with them were quickly becoming too much because they were a reminder to him. A reminder that at the end of the day these were just costumes. That they could change and go back to their regular life and that this whole thing would just be a fun little adventure in their mind.

That that was a reality he could never have, that the whole thing was sickening because while they pretended to be him, they couldn't possibly realize what it had taken to be that way. That they were all alive, while he was half dead.

Suspended in time, half in the real world and half in the afterlife, constantly battling people and entities from both who wanted to hurt him and the people he loved. It wasn't as if he could tell her the truth about what he'd been thinking. He couldn't tell her that the longer time went on the closer to his ghostly half he felt and the further from his human half he drifted.

He couldn't tell her that his nightmares were consuming him and that the only time he didn't have them was when he was in his ghost form, because he could go longer without sleep then. He couldn't admit that sometimes being a ghost was so much easier than being human, and sometimes when it got really bad, he would pretend that's all he was.

But he wanted too. He wanted to so bad that it hurt. He could feel it all bubbling over and he wanted to tell her everything. But when he opened his mouth, only one thing came out.

"I know."

He felt defeated. He hadn't even had the biggest fight of them all yet and he felt completely done. And yet that warmth persisted, Sam's hand holding his though silence had fallen between them. Their hands together amidst the chaos and the jumbled nerves and the panic.

Maybe he couldn't tell her all the things that he so desperately wanted to say, but as he squeezed her hand and clung to it like a life preserver, he hoped that some of it might convey to her in that way.

* * *

**A/N**

**Okay, listen. This was NOT supposed to be as horribly angsty as it turned out, alright. This was so not the intention I'd had when I'd planned this chapter. But you know what he's a kid, and he's tired, and scared, and everyone needs to break down sometimes. But to make up for it I added some really cute fluff at the end, so forgive me for the traumatizing chapter 3**

**Thanks for reading, and please let me know your thoughts! I love seeing your reviews and as we get closer to the end I'm more and more excited to see what you guys think of my take on it!**


	18. 18 - Jazz

Jazz had never been much of an artistic person, and as she stared at the crude sketch on the notebook in her hands that she had just finished, she wondered briefly if she should've paid more attention in Mr. Willis' art class back in fifth grade.

Flipping the page with a sigh, the girl tapped her pen absentmindedly against the new page, her mind wandering as she fidgeted where she sat. She'd been surprised at Freakshow's response when she'd asked for paper and pencil, the man immediately offering her a spiral book and fountain pen from a trunk without a word.

Her parents had been suspicious, flipping through the book and inspecting the pen for over twenty minutes, sure that something had to be wrong with them before she'd snatched them back. They'd been in their cages for two solid days and she was _beyond_ bored, so she wasn't too concerned about the off chance something had been done to the items.

But she had set them aside until her parents had fallen asleep, instead spending her afternoon dozing when she could to escape the heat. At least at night there was a light breeze to stir the humid air around, and as Jasmine tilted her head back, she could feel the wind brush against her shoulders.

She knew Danny would rescue them, there was no doubt in her mind he would. She'd seen him singlehandedly defeat far stronger enemies on more than one occasion. Her only concern was how he would find the gems and get back before the end of the day tomorrow. That, and Freakshow had shown them the news that evening, nothing but his and his friends faces plastered over every news station in a nationwide hunt for the teenagers.

Danny hadn't done anything wrong, so why the government was so desperate to paint him as a criminal was beyond her. She understood they wanted him for the same reason their parents had, but he was a kid and they knew that now, so they weren't really planning to hurt a kid were they?

Running her fingers across her forehead, Jazz let out a soft sigh and pressed the tip of the pen against the paper and watched the ink bleed across the lines. Their parents had been coming around at the very least. From getting over their shock and guilt, to even quietly discussing how they could assist him in his fights.

Maybe their family would grow stronger from all of this, maybe her little brother would no longer have to carry the weight of the city on his shoulders. That would be nice.

Shifting closer to the bars, Jazz reached out a hand and gripped one of them tightly, blue eyes looking up at the stars as she inhaled the night air.

"You're up rather late, child."

The quiet voice drifts over from her left, her head turning to look at the strange man who was standing beside the door of his own train car.

"Tomorrow's a big day."

She remarked coolly, shifting away from the bars an inch as Freakshow clasped his hands behind his back and tilted his head up at her, inquiring eyes studying her intently.

"You're not worried?"

"Should I be?"

"If your brother does not return my gems by tomorrow evening, then yes, you should be very worried."

Looking down at her hands, Jazz crossed her legs and rested her elbows against her knees.

"Why are you so intent on destroying him?"

She asked quietly, and unlike when her father had baited him earlier, the man didn't look angry when he answered.

"He made me into a fool, he ruined my show and handed me and my ghosts over to those ridiculous Guys in White. They locked me away, they destroyed my life's work. All because of him."

"Didn't you hypnotize him and force him to be in your show against his will?"

She asked, arching a brow as the man waved his hand dismissively.

"That's beside the point. Either way, your brother is a menace."

"He can be annoying, and really infuriating sometimes, but he helps a lot of people. And he stops a lot of ghosts who want to destroy our home."

"Ghosts, ghosts, _ghosts_!" Freakshow yelled, his outburst startling the teenager as Jazz backed up further, watching him warily as he threw his arms into the air. "Always _ghosts_! You have no _idea_ what it's like living in the shadow of ghosts all your life!"

Looking over at where her parents were asleep, Jazz watched her father turn over, muttering under his breath as the girl turned back to Freakshow.

"Oh I think I have some idea."

She frowned, grabbing her pen and notebook and scribbling down a note as Freakshow continued with his rant.

"My parents loved ghosts more than me," He said, his shoulders slumping as he stared at the ground. "My audience loves ghosts more than me, and deep down.." He mumbled, turning back to Jasmine with an expression that was almost heartbreaking. "I think _I_ love ghosts more than me."

Dropping his head and pushing it against the bars, Jasmine scrawled a few more words in her book and leaned closer.

"Tell me about it."

She sighed, resting her chin in her hand as she looked back towards her parents. All they'd cared about her whole life was chasing ghosts. She'd never really held it against them until Danny came along, but she hated how they always put their ghost hunting above their kids.

Now she was an adult, or practically one at least. She had college to think about, and exams and tests and she was fine by herself. She didn't need her parents coddling her or trying to rope her into the family business. But they ignored Danny.

When his grades first started falling they didn't even notice, it was Jasmine who had tried to help him find time to study. When he came home with black eyes or bruises from being shoved in the lockers and pummeled by bullies, it was her who helped comfort him and made sure he took medicine for the swelling.

All those nights he would come home at two or three in the morning and she would hear him clattering around in the kitchen or bathroom, she was always the one to patch him up and make sure he ate something.

She loved her parents, she really did. But surprisingly Freakshow was right; it did feel like her parents loved ghosts more than they loved their kids sometimes.

Looking back to her captor, she was startled to find him leaning closer, watching her with sadness in his eyes.

"You feel it too, don't you?"

Jazz hated to admit it, but she did. And it was nice, despite his creepiness, to know there was someone else out there who understood those feelings too.

Between Danny and her parents, she couldn't escape ghosts. She didn't think there had ever even been a day in her life when ghosts had not come up constantly. Even when she was on school trips away from home, she was the girl with the freaky ghost hunting parents.

She was the weirdo whose family was responsible for the ghosts that always screwed with their town. And now she would be the girl whose brother was the ghost boy. How hard would she have to work now to field the questions and the fans?

She wanted to protect Danny with everything in her, but it was overwhelming. She wanted a normal life so badly, or at least one where she wasn't locked in a cage for days because some Freak wanted to rule the world and destroy her family. But it seemed like ghosts were the only thing on anyone's mind anymore. Sometimes she just.. Sometimes she wanted..

"Sometimes I wish _I_ was a ghost."

As the words left her lips, they mingled with the man's as their eyes met, crimson locked onto aqua as a look of understanding passed between the two with their shared sentence.

"You really do understand me, don't you child?"

He whispered, continuing to stare as she looked back at her parents. Her father rolled to his other side, his hand clenching against his chest as he muttered in his sleep.

"Ghosts.. ghosts.. get back!"

Blinking once, a sigh left her as she looked back to the man and slouched against her hand again.

"More than you know."

"Then why?" Looking back up, the Freak was leaning against the bars, his arms folded as he posed the question. "Why did you never say a word?"

"About what? About Danny?"

"You could've told the world, or you could've gone off, left it all behind."

Frowning, Jazz picked up her pen and scribbled another note down before clicking the pen twice.

"They're still my family." She said firmly, staring at him as he stared at the moon. "And Danny is still my little brother, half ghost or not. Maybe our family is weird, and definitely unorthodox, but they're my _family_ and I would do anything to protect them."

"But who made that your job?" She said nothing, gripping the pen tighter as the man backed away and regarded her with a faint smirk. "Those people? The ones you claim to love so dearly. They thrust that job upon you, placed the weight of your brother on your shoulders without even asking. Don't you hate them for that? Don't you wish it could all be different? You're a clever young woman, and when I get my gems back, I can make it right. I can give you a life without an annoying nuisance of a brother. Give you parents who aren't obsessed with capturing ghosts. You could start anew."

"I wouldn't be me." She interjected, pushing herself to her feet as she pulled the notebook to her chest. "If you take away my brother and the core personalities of my parents, you take away _me_ too. They shaped who I am, for better or worse. And I _like_ the person I am. If you take all of that away, maybe life would be more normal, but you'd be taking away everything that I am now and there might not be anything of who I was left."

His smirk twists into a scowl, his eyes flashing in anger as he turned his back to her, his fingers drumming against his other hand.

"You're telling me you don't want it all to end? Funny, I would've thought otherwise. I suppose we don't understand one another as I thought."

Without another word Freakshow sauntered away, retreating once more into his own train car as Jazz sunk to her knees, her body trembling as she reached out for the bars holding her in. Pressing her head against the metal, she bit down on her bottom lip.

"_You're telling me you don't want it all to end?"_

That's what he'd said. For it all to end. He meant something entirely different, she knew that. He meant death and destruction and controlling the universe. But in some respect he was right. She wanted it to end. She wanted her family to be whole again and for her brother to be happy. She wanted her parents to stop caring so much about ghosts and pay a bit more attention to them. Just a little.

She wanted them to see how lost Danny was in life, she wanted them to see what their careers were doing to him. And she wanted to go to them like she used too. She wanted to let them help carry her problems for just a little longer. Maybe she was almost an adult, but maybe she still needed her parents from time to time too. Maybe she did want it to end.

"More than you know.."

* * *

**A/N**

**Every chapter is sad now, that wasn't my intention but here we are. The show portrays Jasmine as the voice of reason, as being the more normal one in her family, and I think people forget sometimes that she's just a kid herself with her own portion of the world's weight on her shoulders. I actually really love Jazz and she needs a story all her own someday.**


	19. 19 - Tucker

Instead of wandering in search of the convention hall, the trio chose to follow the masses of costumed individuals from the train to a large building where banners and posters were displayed on every available surface.

Tucker was in love, an excited grin prominent on his face as he peered around outside, various groups all over talking and taking pictures and posing. There were characters from television shows he recognized, like Spock and Kirk, and someone had even dressed as a crying angel.

On one side of the massive lot stood two boys dressed in flannels and carrying fake guns while spritzing people with water every so often. One girl had her long hair braided down her back and wore a long blue dress with furred boots while she walked hand in hand with a boy who'd painted a scar on his face and dressed in a dark red outfit.

"Wow."

Sam muttered beside him as he turned, following her gaze to a man dressed in a bright red suit with a lightning bolt stitched on the front who was pointing and cheering at a boy, dressed in a long black coat with a blue scarf tied around his neck, that was balancing precariously on the edge of a railing.

The more he looked though, the more dejected he became. In the midst of all the dressed up characters, there was an abundance of people dressed as Sam and Danny, but he had yet to see one person dress like him.

"Still no Tuckers, a crying shame." He sighed, his shoulders slumping as he kicked at the ground. "I even come with gadgets!"

He wailed, shoving his hands inside his pockets and revealing multiple devices including his PDA, his phone, a pager he'd modified, and a gaming device.

"Everything here looks normal."

Danny commented, ignoring his friend's outburst as Tucker pouted, shoving the items back into his pockets as a young boy ran past them laughing, his outfit reminiscent of a patchwork dragon which included a pair of glowing red goggles.

"Compared to _what_?"

Sam scoffed, folding her arms and wrinkling her nose up in disgust. Tucker had gotten past any offense he felt from her opinions after being friends for so long. After all, she was the one who was severely missing out on all the awesomeness.

"Well, you know what I mean!" Danny frowned, gesturing around at the crowds. "I don't think anyone has triggered the Gem of Fantasy yet."

They exchanged a look before Tucker shrugged and led the way towards the front of the hall. He'd reserved their tickets online weeks ago when he'd found out they were going, and with a simple wave of his phone they were allowed to go inside, the man not even blinking at their strange attire. Not that it was strange there, a fact that Tucker personally reveled in.

"See! You need Tucker's in the world!"

He said over his shoulder as he tucked his phone back into one of his pockets. Once they'd passed through the main entrance and entered the spacious hall, Tucker found the grin back on his face once more.

Inside the building were so many people, with ninety percent dressed up in some form for the event. Booths run by creators and vendors were spread about and a stage could be seen near the back of the hall where Tucker knew panels would be held later in the evening.

"Heaven, I've died and gone to Heaven."

He practically swooned, stopped at one booth offering a list of all the events that he eagerly read through.

"We're not here to play around, Tucker, we have to find the gem remember?"

Sam reminded him, rolling her eyes as he held the parchment up excitedly.

"My favorite comic book author is here!"

"Behold!" A kid's booming voice echoed towards their group as Tucker lowered his paper and looked around, spotting a small cluster of kids standing a few feet away. "The Crystal Leviathan's life sustaining Kleptonian gem!"

"The _what_?"

Sam hissed, confusion scrawled across her face as Tucker took a step closer, trying to see what the boy was holding.

"Wow! Where did you find that?"

A second boy said, standing up on his toes to see what the bigger was holding.

"Lemme see, lemme see!"

The third person in their group yelled, the voice belonging to a small girl wearing a homemade wolf costume. Taking another step around Danny, Tucker could just barely see the glint of a blue stone they held, and a weight settled in his stomach. Wasn't the gem _they _were looking for blue? Reaching back and tugging at Danny's arm, Tucker started to point at the group as a blinding flash of light emanated from the gem, sending fragments of cerulean light all around the hall.

"Ow, take it!"

The girl screeched as Tucker shielded his eyes, trying to peer through his fingers as the girl tossed the gem into the air at the shorter of the boys who leapt up to catch it.

"Ow, ouch, _ow_!"

The light grew brighter and Tucker was forced to fully look away, spots dancing in his vision as he tried to blink away the mini strobe lights burned into his retinas.

"No I don't want it!"

The bigger boy yelped, the sound of his scuffling feet stopping abruptly as the light began to fade and Tucker dared to peek through his fingers again.

He couldn't help the way his jaw fell open as he watched the bigger of the two boys shudder, his body curling in on himself before he let out an angry growl and threw out his arms to reveal the blue hue his skin had suddenly taken. Spiked rocks had begun to protrude from his body, sticking up on his arms and neck and face while some split through his shirt and decorated the entirety of his back.

"What the hell.."

He heard Sam mumble near him as the light transitioned and the second boy began to transform. His red costume, which had looked very much like pajamas to Tucker, had begun to grow and tighten around him as he grew taller and lankier, his shoulders broadening and hair falling down his back before the fabric wrapped up and around his face to create a mask.

At his side, a foam sword extended and narrowed, the glint of steel sparkling in the blue glow before it caught aflame, red fire dancing across the blade though it never seemed to touch its owner.

"Oh no."

Backing up a step, Tucker's hands fully fell as the light shifted a final time, expanding around the girl as she herself began to stretch higher and hunched over, her face elongating into a partial snout as her faux ears and tail grew bigger and bushier.

Stumbling back another step, he stared in awe as her hair stretched longer and longer, each strand a deep gray shade that moved against her back. In the girls hand a plastic dagger grew into a jagged blade that looked sharp enough to cut through thin air as her eyes narrowed, crimson mixing with demonic yellow until an animalistic gaze locked onto the three of them.

"Awesome!" His friend's voice cheered behind him, the boy's head snapping in Danny's direction as the halfa gaped excitedly. "The Gem of Fantasy turned three regular nerds into superheroes! They can help us rescue our parents!"

He was practically bouncing up and down with glee as the light faded entirely, the gem held fast in the blue rock monster's hand as Tucker shook his head.

"You need to read more comic books. Those aren't superheroes, they're supervillains!"

Danny's smile disappeared entirely, his face falling as the words dawned on him and his head turned back to their newest problem.

The wolf girl had darted off, baring her sharp teeth and slashing at the screaming masses with her dagger, seeming to enjoy the constant game of chase presented before her. Tucker looked back just in time to see the Samurai lunge at Danny, the halfa realizing almost too late as he jumped out of the way, landing and rolling into an awkward heap right in front of the rock monster.

"Gotta get that gem before these geeks do some real damage."

Danny grumbled, lifting his hands and firing an ectoblast that sent the gem flying out of his meaty hand.

The stone flew high in the air and straight over Tucker's head as the boy tried to track its movements while being jostled and nearly thrown to the ground by one of the cosplayers running away. He regained his balance just as Danny flew past him, reaching outstretched hands towards the gem before the giant came flying at him, tackling the halfa to the ground with a sickening crunch.

"Danny!"

Sam yelled, starting towards him as Tucker lunged and grabbed her arms.

"We don't stand a chance against them."

He shook his head, locking eyes with her as her face fell, a small nod her only response.

"Look."

She spoke, her voice weak as the giant picked himself up and grasped their struggling friend within two clubbed fists and threw him across the hall. Just as the gem had flown over them moments earlier, now it was their friend soaring through the air. The boy came to a crashing halt into a booth that sent two kids who had chosen that as their hiding place screaming to the front doors.

"Hey, I never approved this!"

Danny shouted, holding up a comic book that displayed him on the front cover.

"Come on!"

Sam urged, tugging on her friend's arm as she ran for the gem that had been abandoned in the middle of the floor. Tucker ran straight for it with Sam by his side, the two nearly within reach before the wolf girl landed between it and them, bearing her fangs as she released a menacing growl.

"You shall not pass, so speaks the Empress She-Wolf!"

She howled, slicing her blade towards the two as they stumbled back, the faintest smile appearing on Tucker's face.

"That may be the hottest geek I've _ever_ laid eyes on."

He commented, feeling Sam's fist slug his arm as he looked the villain up and down. Letting out another howl, The She-Wolf's hair began to grow thicker, covering her arms and legs and traveling up her face until she was covered in a thick, grayish colored fur. Fangs that dripped moisture and eyes that gleamed with hatred glowered at the two teenagers as Sam scowled, glancing his way.

"Yeah? How about now?"

She asked in disgust as Tucker tilted his head and narrowed his eyes, looking her up and down again before he shrugged.

"Yeah, still hot."

He decided, jumping back as the halfa appeared from their left and tackled the wolf girl to the floor as she morphed back to her previous form.

"Our comics have come alive!"

A boy shrieked, running past Sam and Tucker with a look of pure terror in his eyes.

"I don't know whether to be horrified or run and report this on the internet!"

A second screamed, clutching his head and diving behind a booth to avoid the Samurai's attack.

"Always the internet, but only if you have video proof!"

Tucker called, though he doubted the boy could hear him, or that he even cared.

"Danny!"

Sam yelled, her head tilted up to the ceiling with Tucker following her gaze, spotting the halfa just as he phased through the roof and disappeared outside.

"What's he doing?" Tucker asked, his whole body jumping in surprise as all the villains flew into the air after the teen and crashed through the roof, sending chunks of debris falling into the middle of the convention hall. "Get down!"

He yelled, grabbing Sam's arm and jerking her to the floor as they both covered their heads protectively. Once the crashing had stopped Sam was on her feet and pulling Tucker up, a fine layer of dirt and dust covering them as she dragged him to the door.

"Come on! We've gotta go after them!"

Bursting through the doors and looking to the sky, Tucker pointed at Danny who was in a chase with the three villains, leading them away from the mass population as the two began to run after him. Tucker wasn't sure how all of them had the ability to fly, but he decided if he was ever possessed by a magic glowing gemstone then he too would choose that as his super power.

"Oh no."

Sam gasped, stopping suddenly as the She-Wolf threw a roped lasso through the air, catching ahold of Danny and sending him tumbling to the ground below.

"They're gonna kill him.."

Tucker huffed, running faster to try and catch up to them. Rounding a corner and climbing up the world's most rickety fire escape, Tucker and Sam climbed on top of a building's roof top in time to see Danny rolling to the side and barely escaping the crushing weight of the rock giant landing on him.

He wasn't sure how Danny was even still going, he could see the halfa's chest heaving even from the distance they were at, and the green ectoplasm that dripped from his head wasn't just a piece of a costume like other's they'd seen had been.

The boy was close to trying to intervene when a hard look crossed Danny's face and the halfa was rushing the giant, knocking him off balance and grabbing ahold of his foot, carrying him towards a flag pole. In a move that Tucker could barely see or register, Danny had tied the blue monster against the metal rod and turned back to deal with the other two.

"Now to finish off the rest of the Legion of Super Dweebs."

Backing up a step, Danny launched himself into the air and flew straight into the red Samurai, the two colliding and falling back to the roof with a loud crash. Tucker started forwards then, only to have Sam's hands grasp his arm and tug him quickly to the ground and behind a large air conditioning unit.

"He's hurt!"

Tucker objected, pointing to where Danny had sat up, a dazed look in his eyes as Sam jerked her finger to the sky.

"I know, but _look!_"

She hissed, crouching down to hide. Turning to look up at where she'd pointed, Tucker felt his blood run cold and his heart hammer in his chest.

The Guys in White had found them. They hovered in the air a few feet from Danny and the Samurai before landing and hunching over, sucking in heavy breaths.

"Man," One huffed, running a ragged hand down his face. "These cross country ghost chases are like, totally exhausting."

He forced out, struggling to stand back up straight. Tucker almost felt pity for them with the haggard and beat down look they had about them. He almost did, until they leveled their guns at his best friend.

Before he could even blink two shots fired and two capsules shot forward, breaking apart and expanding into nets in the air as they hit their targets and confined both Danny and the Samurai to their own ghost net.

Satisfied that they'd hit their mark, the two men turned and were in the air once more, firing shots at the two remaining villains who were easily dodging their terrible attacks after She-Wolf freed the giant.

Starting to creep towards the boy, Tucker stopped in his tracks when he met Danny's gaze, the halfa's head shaking the slightest _'no'_ while glowing green eyes stared fearfully at his hiding friends. Tucker's hands clenched into fists as he forced himself to remain hidden, knowing that the other was right. If anything happened, it would be up to the two of them to get the gems back to save their parents.

He felt awful just sitting there watching them though, and almost like he was answering the boy's unspoken wish, the red Samurai produced his flaming sword and cut himself free of the net holding him. Danny's shoulders slumped for a moment, his body curling in as if to make himself smaller and unnoticeable before he was breaking himself free and sending the pieces of the net flying across the rooftop. Sam let out a soft _'yes!'_ beside him as they leaned closer to watch.

"Not so fast!"

Danny yelled, bolting into the air to chase after the relentless villains. The red Samurai, obviously annoyed at the attempted capture, had made it his priority to screw with the Guys in White; a fact that Tucker found himself cheering for happily.

With two quick slices of his blade, the jetpacks the men wore began to malfunction, sending them spiraling through the air with horrified screams until they crashed heavily onto the roof.

"I think I'm going to start rooting for him."

The boy said, smirking at the Goth who bit her lip to keep from laughing. Danny in the meantime was still chasing after the three changed kids, never able to catch up enough to retrieve the gem.

The She-Wolf turned abruptly, and Danny was about to follow when a single, massive blast hit the trio and sent them tumbling through the sky and back to solid ground as Danny rushed after them, securing the glowing gem as soon as it flew free from their grasp.

One of the Guys in White dropped his gun with a heavy breath, a streak of crimson dribbling down from behind his cracked shades as the three kids landed in a heap at the far end of the building, their transformations fading away with a dull glow.

"Hey! You're just geeks!"

One of the men yelled, limping closer to the kids piled on one another.

"Technically," One of the boys groaned, staring up at the men wearily. "We're enthusiasts."

"Let's go."

Danny's voice murmured behind Tucker, his hand falling heavily on his friend's shoulders as he carried them off the roof and back to the convention hall.

Most of the people had cleared out and there were sirens in the distance that promised police intervention in mere minutes, although the threat had already been taken care of. Tugging off his pack and rummaging through it, Tucker retrieved the Fenton Thermos and passed it to the halfa.

"Nice work, Danny! We got all three gems now!"

Sam cheered, relief clear on her face as Danny took the thermos and dropped the gem inside. In that moment with Tucker's eyes assessing the damage that had been done to his friend, he wondered briefly if everything had been worth it. Aside from the usual torn jumpsuit that occurred after almost every fight, Danny's white hair was stained with green blood on one side.

His jaw was bruised with a greenish blue tint, and ectoblood dripped from a gash above his eye. One of his gloves had been partially ripped off, and Tucker hoped it was just his imagination that made it look like one of his fingers had been broken, the digit swollen and curved at an odd angle. But despite his injuries, Danny was breathing, and he was actually smiling; something the boy hadn't seen much of the past few days.

"And Freakshow only has one," He nodded, holding the thermos triumphantly. "That means once we find him, we can beat him and take the Gauntlet!"

"Uh, guys?"

Sam said, taking a step closer to Tucker as the boy bounced once on his toes.

"We can save our parents!"

He grinned, an expression Danny easily matched, stepping closer and nodding.

"Guys."

"And we can change reality so that nobody remembers my secret!"

"Guys! Shut up and look!"

Sam yelled, grabbing their arms and turning them, the three huddling together as a woman stepped forward from behind a destroyed booth, her red cloak covering her entire face except for two glowing red orbs that gleamed out at them.

Frozen in their spots, they watched dumbfounded as the woman lifted her arms, a series of green hued tattoos lifting from her skin and growing in midair, the black lines becoming lifelike while red eyes blinked into existence as a hoard of deformed bats, birds and snakes descended upon them.

"Oh, fu-"

The words are ripped from Danny's mouth as the hoard swarmed around them and created a funnel, a strong wind forcing the three kids closer together before it was suffocating them Claws and teeth snapped in Tucker's ear and bit at his skin as tiny pricks of pain shot through his body until it burned uncontrollably.

His scream mixed with the other's as his eyes squished closed, a chunk of skin ripped free from his side as the funnel began to sway, dizziness washing over the boy as he found himself unable to move, his body forced still by the haunted creatures still picking away at his flesh.

He felt his stomach lurch and something hard hit the side of his head, knocking one side of his glasses loose as he heard Sam's scream fade out. He wanted to speak, wanted to call to her or Danny, but he found his own voice fading, just as his world was.

Too much, it was too much. Pain and fire and blood and suddenly the world was a haze of red and green and he let himself fall into the blackness and the numbness that released him from the horror his reality had become.

* * *

**A/N**

**How many fandom references did you catch in this chapter? I tried to put quite a few in! Also, we are finally at the end game! Only six more chapters left and I'm really excited to write them! The next one will be a chapter from the Guys in White perspective, which will be an interesting one to write given I HATE them BUT it could be cool, too. Than the final five are end game! Thanks so much for reading, hope you guys enjoyed!**


	20. 20 - Bonus Chapter - Guys In White

"_Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be taking my leave. I'll be sure to tell the ghost child hello from you."_

The voice cackled through the speakers, the image of Freakshow flickering across the small and grainy screen that slowly zoomed in on the Freak as he sauntered out the doors with his ghost beside him.

"Can you tell me what's wrong with this picture?"

A harsh voice barked out from a man standing menacingly next to the desk and an operative controlling the security feed. The two men exchanged a look as Operative K cleared his throat.

"Freakshow got away, Sir."

He responded, knowing immediately that it was the wrong answer as heavy eyebrows drew together on their superior's face.

"No, _K_, what's wrong is _this_!"

Hitting the desk once, the man beckoned to the man sitting down to rewind the feed before pausing and zooming in on Operatives K and O allowing Freakshow access to the Gauntlet.

Wincing, Operative K glanced at his partner, the other man staring intently at the screen as Freakshow commanded life into the equipment that wrapped around the two and allowed the Freak to walk away clean.

"Is that how you were trained? Is that _really_ what we promote? No! You men let one of the most notorious villains out into the world, with one of the most _powerful_ weapons we had! That was our shot, our opportunity to take down ghosts once and for all."

Agent Alpha let out a slow, irritated breath while striding forwards and stopping in front of K, his hand outstretching.

"Give them to me."

Swallowing, the agent obeyed, reaching up a hand and removing his sunglasses, placing them carefully in his commanding officer's hand.

"Do you know why you have these?"

He asked quietly, clutching the shades tightly as K blinked, his eyes adjusting to the fluorescent lights.

"They are given to every operative once they pass their training."

"And what are they for?"

"They connect automatically to any network and hold a myriad of intelligence that can be accessed when needed while out in the field."

"And?"

"And they can be used to contact other team members and locate hidden traces of ectoplasm and ectoenergy."

"_And_?" K found himself at a loss, dark blue eyes staring into the pitch black screen of his boss' glasses. "And you _failed_ them!"

The outburst was sudden, the glasses shoved forcefully back at K who scrambled to keep the tech from falling to the concrete floor.

"You created this mess, operatives, now _clean it up_!"

Agent Alpha shouted, striding past the two men and stepping into an elevator. As the doors closed behind them, K let out a slow breath, carefully sliding the sunglasses back onto his face.

Tapping a button on the side, a blue light glowed, scanning his retinas before the words _'Welcome Operative K'_ drifted in front of his eyes.

Blinking, the words faded and various screens danced on the edges of his vision, files and messages waiting to be gone through as he turned, looking at his partner.

"Where do we start?"

With sagging shoulders, O sighed.

"Where else? We've gotta track down the one thing he wants."

"The ghost kid?"

"The ghost kid."

* * *

"We need to just grab it, who will stop us?"

"How do you think that would look?"

K scoffed, slamming a file onto the table as he slumped down in his chair, staring in disgust at the old fast food sitting half eaten across from him.

"Like we were doing a public service."

"It looks like a kid, O. The damn thing has everyone convinced, and if we swoop in and grab it when it looks human we'll be burned at the stake." Pushing himself up and pacing the small motel room, K paused at the window. "We have to wait until it's in its true form. We'll watch, and we'll wait for it to go out causing trouble, and _then_ we'll take it."

"And how long will we have to wait for that? It's been a week already, who knows when Freakshow will make his move, and Alpha is breathing down our necks to get this done."

"Yeah, but by taking the ghost kid, we'll be luring Freakshow into our trap. You know how obsessed he is with that thing, he won't be able to resist it. And what was once a screw up will be heralded a victory because we'll have caught _both_ of them."

O frowned, tilting his head in thought as he took a drink from an old paper cup.

"Alright, fine. But this is on your head if things screw up."

"Isn't it always?"

K smirked, walking to their small television and flipping it on.

"Is that Dumpty Humpty concert on yet? I wanna see their show."

Flipping the channel, K paused, his mouth dropping open as he pointed at the screen, trying to find the words.

"We just got our golden goose."

Displayed on the screen was none other than the ghost kid himself, with Freakshow right on his tail in the middle of a fight.

"Oh, damn, we just got lucky as hell. Let's go!"

O yelled, grabbing his white suit jacket off the door and running towards their car, the other agent right on his heels.

* * *

The jetpacks were his favorite part. When K had first gone through training, he knew the tech would be cool, but nothing compared to the jetpacks.

"You sure we should do this with that big of a crowd?"

K questioned, strapping the final belt around his pack and pulling an ecto blaster from their trunk.

"This is perfect. If we make the town see it for the menace it is, they won't want to try and stop us from taking it."

"Then we'd better hurry, I think the fight just ended."

K nodded towards the sky where several people began to fall through the air and back towards the high school's football field below.

"Let's get these freaks."

They moved quietly on foot, weaving through other cars and past oblivious high schoolers and nerdy band kids hiding from bullies.

They passed a jock and cheerleader making out, and a set of parents in a darkened vehicle parked at the edge of the trees. Nothing had really changed since high school, not for some people.

As they grew closer to the stadium, shouts and stomping feet were loud around them, students and faculty alike gathering around the stage.

"Look." O pointed, the ghost kid in his human form with a forced look of terror on his face as his two friends pushed him away from the clamoring crowds. "How does it do that? How does it have those people fooled?"

"Ghosts, nasty things."

K muttered, hooking his blaster to his belt and turning on his jetpack. As he rose higher in the air he moved closer to the stage, making his way towards the trio.

"Nobody move!"

K shouted, lifting his blaster and aiming it directly at the ghost kid. It couldn't be helped the form he was in, or the fact that Freakshow was nowhere to be seen; they had their opening and they had to take it.

"You're coming in for questioning."

He spoke firmly, watching the two teenagers shift closer to the ghost kid, fear and defiance on all three faces as O moved closer.

"And experimenting. Lots of experimenting."

His partner stated as the ghost boy stared at them, cautiously taking a step forward before his friends blocked his way.

"Danny, no."

The girl hissed out, trying to force the ghost back as bright blue eyes stared up at the two operatives.

"As much as I would love to be your lab rat, I don't think it's gonna happen any time soon. Sam, Tucker, grab ahold of me. I'm going ghost!"

In a flash of light that traveled over the ghost boy, he changed from his human disguise into his ghost form, the two teenagers grabbing ahold as he shot into the air, dragging the two with him. The two agents watched, and as K started after them his partner held him back.

"Wait, just watch."

"But-"

"It looked like shit, you really think it can use those powers of it's like that? Let it wear itself out."

O murmured under his breath as K nodded, following the ghost's trail that moved higher into the sky. And then as if right on cue, the trio was plummeting back to the stage in a crashing heap.

Floating closer to the stage, O pointed his gun at the ghost once more and sneered.

"Come with us, Ghost Kid."

There was an air of triumph around the two men, and K was already tasting the promotion when the girl was shoving the ghost to the end of the stage while screaming _"Mosh pit!" _before shoving him over the side.

"Get him! Don't lose him!"

O shouted, ignoring the other two as he chased after the ghost boy.

"Get back here!"

K yelled, losing sight of the ghost as he dropped down and mingled into the crowd that was working to protect him.

"Get out of the way, move!" O was demanding, shoving aside various people before he landed on the ground, rage written across his face as his partner landed beside him. "We lost him, how the _hell_ did we lose him?"

He seethed as the people around them carefully backed away.

"They couldn't have gotten far, the kids were all banged up and the ghost was bleeding."

K reasoned, glaring at a small group that quickly shied away from the two.

"Yeah, alright. We'll head towards the school."

As his partner marched off, K looked around a final time for any trace of the trio, scowling at the bystanders who gawked openly at them. How Phantom had ever convinced the people of Amity Park that he was good he would never know.

And after searching the entire school and every classroom, K was beyond done, and his partner's only emotion was anger.

"They're children, how have they evaded us this long?"

"The ghost obviously took them away somewhere. How stupid can those kids be to just follow him?"

K scoffed, stretching out his arms as they walked out of the school and made their way back towards their car.

"Wait, look."

O pointed towards a smaller building set off from the field and school, a sign that read _'locker rooms'_ across the side door.

"You think he's dumb enough to stay in there?"

"Depends how bad he was bleeding. Even ghosts can fade without that ecto crap running through them." His partner smirked, waving the other to follow as they moved closer to the building, a light on inside. "Now why would any of the students be in there when there isn't a game?"

"Maybe it's more kids making out. Or their parents."

K shuddered, trying to force the image of a couple sprawled across the desk in the science room from his mind.

"The blinds moved, someone's watching us."

O murmured, turning his back to the building and clutching his gun tighter.

"You can't go in there shooting, what if its civilians?"

"I'm not going to! We'll wait until they come out, and if it's either that ghost or his friends we'll grab them."

"We can't snatch teenagers, O."

The man muttered, noticing his partner refused to respond. They waited a few minutes before a glance over their shoulders revealed another movement of the blinds before the light suddenly went out.

"Here we go."

The door opened, a stream of jocks and cheerleaders filing their way out of the building. The two agents looked through the kids, none of them fitting the descriptions they were looking for as they turned away.

"They look suspicious."

"Druggies?"

"Maybe. Didn't we see that blonde kid shouting earlier, though? Maybe he knows something."

"Tell me we're not."

K muttered, already knowing by his partner's smile that they, in fact, were.

"Give them a minute, I want to check that out just to be safe."

O nudged him before walking into the locker room and looking around. Clasping his hands on his blaster, K called a file to his glasses and scanned the pages, refreshing himself on where the ghost boy's human disguise lived.

"Nothing there except this."

Blinking away the screen, K caught a towel that his partner threw and turned it over, a crimson stain decorating the fabric with darker spots dotted through the stain.

Calling his scanner, K moved his gaze over the towel as blue fragments of light highlighted the spots and shaded them a neon green.

"Damnit! He was with them."

K cursed, throwing the towel down as O nodded.

"They probably think they got away clean, so I bet they're still in those woods."

"Let's move, I don't want to lose him again."

K ordered, marching in the same direction that the band of kids had gone minutes earlier.

By the time they'd caught up with the teens, the group was noticeably smaller and the operative wanted to kick himself for his stupidity. Reaching a hand to stop his partner from approaching yet, they watched as one of the boys spoke to the blonde as the jock brushed the other off.

Nodding, the two started towards the group as they caught the tail end of the obvious leader's words.

"All we have to do is-"

"Is _what_?"

O bellowed behind them, startling the group as the boy whirled around, coming face to face with the taller man.

"C-Clean the field." The boy stuttered, trying to regain his composure while also trying to find an excuse. "As the home team, it's our responsibility to clean up after tonight."

Well, it wasn't the lamest excuse he'd ever heard.

"It is?"

The boy next to him asked as the blonde turned to glare, leaving not even a bit of doubt in either man's mind as to what they had really been discussing as they exchanged a look.

"Where's that cheerleader that was with you?"

K demanded, scanning his eyes over them once more and noting the missing uniform. The mascot was also gone, and the one who had been wearing a helmet.

"I changed."

A dark haired girl smiled, flipping her hair over her shoulder while batting her eyes at them.

"You know that ghost boy is dangerous, don't you? He's caused a lot of problems and we need to bring him in."

O remarked, eyeing the boy in front of him harshly.

"He's a hero to us."

The girl shot back instead, fire burning in her eyes as she stared at the two men. For as small as she was compared to them, and the fact that they had guns, K was minutely impressed at her audacity.

"He's a menace."

"Do any of you know where the ghost boy is?"

O asked, his voice deadly calm as he continued to stare at the blonde who was struggling to stand his ground.

"We have no clue where he is."

"And even if we did, we'd never rat him out!"

The second boy cried out, gaining various agreements from the rest of their group.

"We don't have time for this. Freakshow has the Gauntlet and those kids know where the stones are."

K grumbled, debating how exactly they'd get the information out of them when he noticed O stepping closer to the student, the gun shifting in his hands.

"One more time, son. Do you know where the Ghost Boy is?"

O asked softly, his voice barely heard as K swallowed, unsure as to whether or not his partner would actually harm the teenager.

"Like I said, no clue. Doesn't matter anyway, if you couldn't grab them back there, what makes you think you'll stand a chance in finding them now?"

A smirk followed the statement, the boy proud of his defiance.

K could sense the tension, but before he could react O was thrusting his gun at the blonde, ramming the butt of his blaster so hard into the teenager's chest that it knocked him to his knees, a wheezed groan leaving him.

"You think being smart is going to get you anywhere? I could arrest you for aiding and abetting."

K wanted to intervene, wanted to yell at the other for getting so rough, but something stopped him. If they didn't catch the ghost boy and Freakshow, those kids would be subjected to a lot more pain and suffering; so didn't the end justify the means?

"Leave him alone!" The girl screamed, sliding down next to her friend as she grasped his arm, hateful eyes sending daggers towards his partner. "We don't know where they went!"

Taking a step closer, K could see the barrel of the blaster pressed against the boy's arm in a silent threat. No shooting. That's where he would draw the line. He wouldn't let him shoot a child.

"You helped them escape, didn't you?"

O asked calmly, as if the whole altercation was nothing more than a relaxing conversation in the park.

"Yeah, we did, because you were going to hurt him!"

"Paulina."

The boy wheezed, shaking his head as O's gun pressed tighter against him.

"Stop it! They probably went back to his family's weird house, Fenton Works."

The girl, Paulina, spat out, clinging tightly to her downed friend as O glanced up at K, the two sharing a look as a quiet _'ping' _echoed in the man's ear, a file on the ghost's home sharing to his partner.

"Let's go."

O called, rising from the ground and walking back through the trees with the other close behind. The voices of the kids faded behind them, and as soon as they were out of earshot K knocked his fist against the operative's arm.

"What the hell was that? You can't threaten to shoot a child."

"I wasn't threatening."

"You call shoving your gun into him _not_ threatening? Damn, I'd hate to see you _actually_ threaten someone then!"

Stopping abruptly, O grabbing his arm and turned him, a scowl set deep in his face.

"Do you wanna find that ghost or not? Sometimes you gotta be rough to get the intel, and hey look, we got it. Stop whining and let's do our job. Or do you want to complain about that, too?"

Yanking his arm away, K hooked the blaster back to his belt and started walking again while speaking over his shoulder.

"Calm down, O, that anger of yours is going to get you killed one day. And if you grab me like that again, I'll be the one doing it."

* * *

They'd arrived at the house before the trio much to the operative's surprise, and as they entered they found that the ghost's delusional family were all missing.

"Broken air vent, shattered glass. Someone took them."

O muttered, holding up a shard of colored glass while Hazmat Operatives worked quickly to get into place.

"You think Freakshow was here?"

"Judging by that, I'd say at least his pet was."

O pointed inside the air vent, small traces of ectoplasm smeared across the inside.

"Why are ghosts so disgusting?"

K grimaced, turning away from the vent and marching back into the front room, surveying the house as he did.

"You'd think with as much technology as these people have they'd know their sham of a son is hiding his real self right under their nose."

O scoffed, picking up a shattered picture frame and tossing it to the side.

"Maybe they're in denial. They don't want to admit their real son is dead."

The other shrugged, pointing to two of the Hazmat Agents and motioning for them to slide to their left.

"Then they're idiots. They're lucky that thing hasn't killed all of them."

"Sir, the ghost is approaching."

One of the Hazmat Operatives spoke, getting into position as K flipped off the lights and stood at the front beside his partner.

Two of the Hazmat Operatives stood near the door, ready to capture the teenagers and allow easy access to the ghost boy without having to worry about the casualties.

The wait lasted several minutes as the men stood like statues, every breath in the room catching as the door creaked open and the light flipped on. In a flurry of movements, K heard the girl yell as he leveled his blaster, aiming it directly at the ghost boy's chest.

"Humans are secure, take down the ghost child."

O commanded, the sound of blasters loading and weapons readying filling the room as the ghost backed away a step.

"Where are my mom and dad? What have you done with them?"

The ghost boy demanded, his fists clenching as K frowned, amazed at the level of emotion the ghost was able to produce.

"Come quietly, ghost boy."

His partner said slowly, taking a step forward as Phantom tensed, his jaw locking as a flashing alarm appeared in the corner of K's glasses.

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me where my family is!"

The alarm was blinked away as the boy's eyes shifted to an unnerving green hue, a chill freezing the air and his powers making the lights in the house flicker all around them.

The other operatives had begun to spread out, trying to keep a hold of the situation as O squared his shoulders, staring down at the ghost with as much intimidation as he could muster.

"Daniel Fenton, in accordance with the federal anti ecto control act article one, section one, subsection eight, you're under arrest."

The ghost scoffed at that, his voice coming out frigid and sharp, it's green eyes looking at the men in a calculating manner. K wondered if his so called parents saw him now if they'd still be so keen to save the monster.

"I'm only going to say this once. Let my friends go, and get the hell out of my house."

"Yeah?" K smirked, the boy's attempt at being threatening almost amusing. "Or what?"

"Or.. This!"

They were ready for the fight, ready for the ghost to reveal his true form and attack. What they weren't ready for was for him to run.

In a moment of confusion, they allowed the boy to reach the other wall, the ghost ripping a photo frame from off the wall and slamming his elbow into a glass case, breaking it open and pressing a button hidden behind it. The lights in the house took on a sudden crimson glow as alarms deafened the operatives.

"**FENTON WORKS ANTI CREEP MODE ACTIVATED."**

Panels began to open up from the walls and revealed various weapons that all took their aim at the operatives.

"What the hell is this?"

O demanded, aiming his own weapon at the gun aimed at him.

"No time to question it, those things will kill us!"

K yelled, throwing himself at his partner and tackling him to the ground as a heavy blast stuck the wall right where O had previously been standing.

"Damnit! We can't let it get away again!"

Shoving themselves up, the two men began firing at one of the larger guns that swiveled back and forth, firing multiple shots at almost anything that moved.

After they managed to strike it a couple of times, the machine retracted into the wall and a panel slid back into place to hide it once more.

"They're getting away!"

K pointed, watching the trio begin to slink off as he fired a shot at Phantom. It was close to striking when a barrier rose from the floor, protecting the kids from the attack as the operative cursed.

"Get down!"

It was O's turn to protect his partner, slamming the man to the ground and shielding both of them from the next onslaught of attacks as the teenagers and the ghost disappeared up the stairs.

"They're trying to get outside! Go!"

Shoving themselves up, it was a tedious battleground to get to the front door, maneuvering around fallen Hazmat Operatives and destroyed Fenton Weapons, but when they'd finally managed to get outside, K realized it was worse than they'd thought.

Instead of getting outside and running for it, the kids had made it to what must've been an escape blimp. Which really didn't sound like much, but as metal shields slid down over every entrance and window, locking down the entire aircraft, he knew their job was about to get a lot harder.

"Get out here!"

He yelled, waving to the Hazmat Operatives who were still fighting to join them.

"How the hell do we get them now?"

O scowled, slamming his empty weapon to the ground below as K narrowed his eyes.

"Wait.." Calling up a file, and then another, and another, he finally found what he was looking for half buried on page eight. "You four, get up there! Do what you can to break through those barriers, and don't let them go anywhere! O, with me."

Beckoning for his partner, K darted through an alley and located their car.

"What are you doing?"

"I called in a favor, they should be here in a few minutes. If those kids think they're getting away, then we'll make sure they can't."

"It's a blimp, how fast could they even go?"

As if some great force were purposely trying to screw them over, a thunderous sound echoed above them, the ground trembling as their heads tilted towards the sky, a dark shadow passing over them as the blimp detached from Fenton Works and floated through the sky.

It moved slowly at first, and then pieces began to pull inside itself, the blimp transforming into the equivalent of a small jet plane.

"Man, why the hell do you even open your mouth?" K scowled, shoving his partners arm as a message appeared in front of his eyes. "Come on, we're going after them."

"What? How?"

Leading his partner around the corner, K pointed to two small aircrafts landing on the back street.

"Like I said, called in a favor."

He said, both agents hurrying to their planes and climbing inside. They were up in the air almost immediately, syncing the screens with their glasses as they took off after the ghost.

"Are they trying to kill someone?"

O yelled, flying next to his partner as the jet in front of them began to nosedive, heading directly for the high school.

"Shit, that's going to be a hell of a lot of paperwork."

K muttered, the two right on their tail as the man winced, waiting for the inevitable crash when the jet suddenly jerked sharply, narrowly avoiding the building as he turned his own controls, forced to go around the other way before returning to their chase.

"Where do they think they're even going?"

"No idea, but I'm not taking any chances."

K called, pressing a few buttons on his control panel as a small device released from the bottom of his craft, flying swiftly through the air and latching onto the top of the jet.

"Tracking?"

"Tracking."

The agent grinned, weaving around another building as the jet moved higher into the air. They had just begun discussing strategies to stop them when the jet shuddered and disappeared from sight.

"What the hell?" O's voice screamed in his partner's ear. "Where did it go?"

"He turned the damn thing intangible! There's no way to follow it now."

K slammed his hand on his controls, letting out a string of curses.

"That tracker active?"

"Yeah. Damn, now we have to wait until they stop somewhere."

"Well, how far can they go really?"

"Watch it with that big mouth of yours or you're gonna jinx us. Again."

* * *

All night. They had been flying _all night long_.

Yawning, K leaned back and adjusted his glasses again, thinking about his options a moment before virtually moving a checker.

"How the hell do you always win?"

O grumbled, moving another piece begrudgingly that allowed K to get a king.

"Cause I'm smarter than you." He smirked, tapping the side of his glasses as the game shifted to one side and his inbox opened on the other. "Hey, have you heard from Alpha?"

"No, he hasn't replied to any of my field reports. You?"

"Nothing. You realize if we go back empty handed we're done for, right?"

"Well that's not going to be a problem, because we're gonna catch that ghost kid _and_ we're gonna catch the Freak."

He said nothing, scrolling through his messages as an alert popped up, taking over his whole screen.

"They landed!"

K called, sitting up straighter in his chair and removing the autopilot, forcing the plane to pick up a faster pace.

They'd lagged behind to keep from being noticed, but now they needed to make up that time before they got away again.

"Why stop in Cape Canaveral? Are they sightseeing?"

"They're kids, who knows what they're doing. Maybe one of those gems is here."

K shrugged despite being alone, forcing the alert from his tracker away as he sent another brief field report to his commanding officer.

They had no leads on Freakshow, which meant Phantom was their only route. Not that he minded really, he'd wanted to peg that troublesome ghost from the beginning. How it managed to fool absolutely everyone into believing that it wasn't going to cause harm was mind boggling, not to mention the obvious connection he'd formed with two impressionable teenagers.

Multiple news alerts began to poor in as their glasses connected automatically to the areas network, crude cellphone pictures of a giant rocket and the Phantom screwing with it flooding various media platforms.

"He's going to get somebody killed!"

O ground out, the two crafts slowing as they saw the rocket plummeting back to earth in the distance.

"Where the hell is he?" K called, scanning the area as he caught sight of the visible jet, the two teenagers inside. "I've got eyes on the kids, but not the ghost."

"He's in the damn rocket!"

O yelled, his hand waving inside his plane as they moved in closer, the rocket no longer plummeting but coasting to the ground. It was a poor landing but not much damage had been done, and no causalities had occurred, something K was grateful for.

Though it did little to change his mind about what exactly he was capable of. Death always seemed to follow him wherever he went.

As they grew closer, Phantom phased through the top of the rocket, hovering above the craft while pumping his arms triumphantly into the air.

"Here we go."

K said, flipping the switch to his weapon as he aimed his plane directly at the ghost boy.

"Attention Daniel Fenton, AKA Danny Phantom, give yourself up."

O spoke loudly, the speakers resonating through the air. The boy looked shocked, oblivious to their appearance as he stared up at them before starting a fast flight back to his jet.

"Do not run or we will take action."

O warned, the two turning their planes to follow the boy's escape.

"Fire."

O commanded, blasts leaving his plane. K prepared to fire his own when the sudden realization dawned on him, his partner's plane turned to face the jet instead of the ghost boy.

"O, what the hell?" He yelled, watching in abject horror as missiles fired onto the jet, hitting their target as it erupted into flames. "There were kids on that thing you idiot!"

K screamed, staring as the ghost boy flew back from the force of the explosion.

"We couldn't let him get on board again, we can't lose him."

O stated, the casual tone of his voice sickening his partner.

"You just _murdered_ literal children, you fucking reckless asshole!"

"Casualties _happen_, K! Those kids knew what they were getting into being with that ghost, now we have our chance to grab him!"

"Do we? He's right in the middle of that! Our planes can't get anywhere close without igniting our own! So no, genius, your plan didn't work!"

He was seething, gripping the controls as he waited for the ghost to emerge from the destruction. He'd signed on to eradicate ghosts, and he was willing to use people and manipulate them and go to some extents that others wouldn't dare. But blowing up those kids? He felt like throwing up. How the hell were they supposed to report that they _knew_ they were in there, and opened fire anyway?

"We're going to have to risk getting closer, the damned thing could've gone intangible for all we know."

O muttered, flying in closer as K begrudgingly followed. Once they had the ghost boy and Freakshow, he was asking for a new partner. He hadn't fired those shots, those kids lives would not be held over him. And yet he still felt drenched in their blood.

"Look, you happy? Those kids got free!"

Leaning forwards, K looked out his window as he spotted two cruisers making their way across the tarmac and back towards the explosion.

"Oh thank God."

"There's the ghost!"

Positioning their planes over the crumpled form of the ghost boy, they readied their weapons, waiting for the right moment to grab him.

K watched in silence as the boy finally saw his friends, a look of pure elation crossing his face as a weight settled in his stomach. Was it actually possible that the ghost had formed a real connection to those kids?

"Come on, come on.." O mumbled, drifting dangerously close to the fire as the two cruisers suddenly spurred back to life, shooting back across the tarmac as the ghost boy darted after them. "Let's move!"

O yelled, his plane taking off as another blast left his craft. This time firing his own, K aimed carefully to try and hit only the ghost. Whether they'd formed a friendship or not, those kids didn't need to allow a ghost to buddy around with them, didn't they see how much trouble they were in already?

"No, no, no!" O screamed, his attacks firing consistently as the ghost boy grabbed the two teenagers, the three beginning to sink into the ground before disappearing entirely from sight. "Damnit! We fucking lost them again!"

Slowing his plane down, K pressed his lips together, uncomfortable with the strange relief he found washing over him.

* * *

"This is a stupid idea."

His partner grumbled, glaring at the news crew reporting on the story as a nationwide manhunt had been spurred to locate the missing teenagers and ghost boy.

"Well don't act like I came up with it."

K muttered, leaning back against their car with a frown.

"You sure as hell didn't say anything when he mentioned it."

"What do you want from me? We're in enough hot water as it is, I wasn't going to question his decision. If he thinks we need help, who am I to go against that? Besides, whether you want to admit it or not, we probably do."

The anchorman they'd selected was already giving his report, the story going live from the scene in Florida as they sat outside an old diner watching on their glasses.

"You know, I really hope we get to be a part of some of those first interrogations they do. I want to know how this thing has managed to fool so many people. Does it have mind control powers? Does it possess them? It doesn't make sense."

"Maybe they just trust him. Hell, you've seen the stories. For a ghost, he does stop a lot of other threats towards the town."

"Are you _defending _it?"

"Of course not, he's still a menace, I'm just saying that it's probably some long con. Gain everyone's trust and then when he flips the tables they're slower to begin the manhunts because they won't want to believe that their hero betrayed them like that."

"Whatever."

With a heaving sigh, O circled around the car and climbed inside, starting the engine as K's glasses flashed red, a message in bold letters darting across his vision.

"Hey! Someone spotted them!"

Climbing into the passenger seat, his partner took off, taking a sharp turn off a dirt road to get back onto the highway.

"Where?"

"Diner, about sixty two miles from here. And get this, they're still sightseeing."

"What the hell are they going to see? The desert?"

"No, something called Gothapalooza."

"What the fuck is that?"

"Not sure, but the waitress overheard the kids talking. Guess it's some kind of list they're working down? First was Cape Canaveral, now its Gothapalooza. It must be about those gems." Shrugging, K sent a message to their boss, letting him know the news alert had worked in their favor. "At the very least we did a decent job tracking them."

"Yeah well, they're teenagers, they're aren't exactly masters of evasion."

O muttered, pushing his speed up to eighty.

"Question."

"What?"

His partner glanced briefly at him, one hand on the wheel while the other rested against the window.

"You ever been to a Gothic event?"

He was surprised at the laugh that his partner let out, a rare smile gracing O's features as he shook his head.

"No, was never into that emo phase in high school. Why, you been to one?"

"Once, when I was seventeen."

"You have pictures, right?"

It's K's turn to laugh, leaning his seat back and stretching his arms while maneuvering his suit jacket off.

"Nope, burned them all the second I broke up with the girl who took me. There will never be any proof that I wore skinny jeans and eyeliner."

"Damn, and I would've paid good money for proof of that."

Wearing a small smile, K turned in his seat and glanced out the window, the desert rolling past in waves around them as the night sky loomed ahead.

He'd wanted to travel the country when he was younger, but he'd been recruited the day after his graduation. After that, he'd wanted to save up his vacation time to go, but then his sister had her baby the same time her husband was killed in action and he'd used it all up to help her move.

Then he was promoted and he had even less time for himself, and then once the ghosts had started wreaking havoc day in and day out, he was practically living at the office. Closing his eyes, K had just begun to drift off when his partner shoved his arm.

"We just passed the sign for the Goth gathering."

"Can Goth's have a 'palooza'?"

"Well, they're having one, so I guess yes."

Stretching once more and sitting straight, K reached back for his suit jacket and stifled a yawn.

"So what's the plan this time?"

"You'll see in a few minutes. You called in your favor, I called in mine."

K narrowed his eyes in suspicion, not liking the smug smirk his partner wore, but he said nothing as they closed the last few miles to the event and pulled off right before the last hill.

Climbing out of the car, thunderous rock music echoed through the desert, K tugging on his jacket as he retrieved his blaster from the back seat.

"You won't need that."

O said, his face almost beaming as he tapped his glasses, nodding his head in confirmation. Turning, K caught a shimmer in the air before he gasped, staring with wide eyes and open mouth at the tank that revealed itself before them.

"And what the hell are we gonna do with _that_?"

"Catch us a ghost."

O said cheerfully, slapping the other on the back as they made their way towards it.

"Can we, I don't know, try _not_ to kill any innocent civilians this time?"

"I'll do my best."

It sounded less than sincere, but K accepted that was the best answer he would get. Climbing inside the machine, the familiar blue glow that managed his glasses now lit up the screen before them.

"How long have they been working on this?"

"For a while. They needed someone to test it, and I think this is the perfect opportunity." The tank lurched forwards across the plain, the tread carrying them closer as the lights and noise grew louder. "Look at that, who knew there were so many Goth's in the world."

O commented, the crowds coming into view as the screen flashed green, a target bouncing from person to person before locking onto a boy that was floating in the air.

"It doesn't try to keep a low profile does it?"

He scoffed, pressing a button and flipping a switch as the light changed to red, the tank whining as a blast began to charge.

"Let's end this."

The crowd had taken notice of the Guys in White, the party abruptly ending as screams pierced the air and the people began to run.

K spotted the trio and stared, his eyes locking with those disturbing green hues. The entire machine shuddered as the first blast burst out, hitting one of the cruisers and sending it to a fiery death as his partner laughed, firing a second rocket that was headed straight for all three kids as they stayed frozen in place.

K found himself gripping his seat, pleading silently for the teenagers to move. Please, just move. Leave the ghost. Leave him. _Just go!_

He cringed away, barely daring to look as the ghost boy placed a hand on his friends' shoulders, the three turning intangible as their rocket shot straight through them and blew a chunk out of the rock formation behind.

"Damnit! Again!"

O slammed his fist on the console, firing another rocket as the group disappeared for good, their next several shots hitting nothing but air as K finally shut the firing system down.

"You know they're gone, stop wasting the ammunition!"

"As soon as I find it, as soon as I get my _hands_ on it, I'm going to rip it to pieces."

O muttered darkly, forcing the tank around as K turned and looked back at where the kids had been.

Those eyes. God, he'd have nightmares about those eyes. They were ghastly, and yet.. They were human too.

* * *

"Over there!"

K shouted, standing at the top of the steps inside the subway station entrance, pointing down at the ghost boy with his back to them.

With as much gusto as the operative could manage, K raced down the stairs after the boy who had begun moving, disappearing further into the crowd as O rounded off the other way. Meeting in the middle and grabbing his shoulders, O spun the boy around and gripped him tightly.

"Okay, spook boy, it's all over."

K knew there was something wrong the moment before the boy's hair started to fall off. His snow white wig tilted to the side as the boy smacked away the operatives, brown eyes glaring angrily at them.

"Paws off! This suit's handmade!"

Stumbling back in shock, O turned around and around, K doing the same as the amount of ghost kids doubled and tripled and quadrupled.

"What the fuck..?"

"That damned news report." K ground out, slapping himself in the head as he tried to contain his anger. "They're going to that damned convention!"

"Dressed as a _ghost_?"

"He's famous now, thanks to us."

K scowled, heaving out a long and tired breath as the subway began to leave the station. Watching as it departed, K felt his blood run cold as a pair of green eyes met his, accompanied by a cheeky smile and the smallest of waves. Two other kids waved as well, and K took half a step forwards as it hit him.

"They're on the train!"

"I saw, let's move!"

Their way to the convention center took three times longer than it should have, both men constantly stopping various teenagers who had dressed themselves up as the ghost and his Goth girlfriend.

There were arguments, threats, and one woman who smacked them with her purse after O had grabbed her daughters arm.

They were exhausted, and the relief was palpable between them when they finally reached the building holding the convention that he had to be at. At least they were, until they saw Phantom shooting through the sky while three costumed figures chased after him.

"I'm done running. Screw if people see, I'm using the jetpack."

O huffed, syncing his glasses briefly as his pack powered to life.

"Not gonna argue."

K replied wearily, doing the same as the two men rose into the air and made their way after the ghost. The operative couldn't tell what was chasing the boy, whether it was other ghosts, or, hell he couldn't even think of a different option.

But when one of them managed to send Phantom spiraling to the rooftop below, he knew they'd have to be careful.

"We're outnumbered, let's wait and see what happens."

He urged his partner, the other agreeing begrudgingly as they watched the fighting down below. Three against one usually meant the three would be the victors, but as Phantom fought, K wondered if maybe they'd bitten off more than they could chew.

"Now!"

Barely catching his partner's movement, K hurried to follow the man as they inched closer to the action, K spotting the boy on the rooftop with a dazed look on his face after his collision with a red samurai.

Landing on the roof with a heavy breath, K leaned over and inhaled deeply, exhaustion sweeping over every inch of his body.

"Man, these cross country ghost chases are like, totally exhausting."

K wheezed, glancing at his partner. Forcing himself back into an upright position, a hard look passed over his face as the two operatives simultaneously pulled their weapons and fired on the two downed enemies. Ecto nets grew and expanded, slamming into and wrapping the two tightly within their bindings.

Despite how badly they wanted to nab the ghost, the other two attackers were still wreaking havoc in the air, and the agents went after them.

The furry girl and the weird moving blue rock kept evading their nets and frustration had K shooting faster and in all directions, determined for one of his blasts to hit their mark.

"Not so fast!"

Glancing over his shoulder at the voice, K found himself scowling, the ghost flying through the air after having escaped his confinement. But instead of going after them, he flew right over their heads and headed straight for the two they'd been going after.

"We can't lose him!"

O yelled, his body hovering higher before he paled. Turning a fraction the see why, the two operatives were lunged at by the samurai, a flaming sword cutting through the air in an arc, slicing clean through their fuel tank and sending the two men falling back to the rooftop below.

K couldn't help but scream as he spiraled down faster and faster without control before his body slammed into the roof.

All he could see was a kaleidoscope of colors flashing before his eyes, random bursts of blue and silver and yellow introducing a series of pulsating pains with each spin around that left him more nauseous than the last.

He wondered briefly if he'd gone deaf, a shrill whine all he could hear as the world came slowly back into focus, the sunlight a blinding glare in his eyes as he realized his glasses were cracked and allowing the daylight to filter past the darker tint he'd become accustomed to.

Blinking a couple of times, K pushed himself off the rooftop, his body trembling as a metallic taste filled his mouth. Reaching his fingers to his head, the pads came back dotted in blood as the nausea worsened. He'd hit his head, the pain behind his eyes searing as he looked for his partner.

O seemed to be in better shape, or at least was hiding any damage well. He was on his knees, for starters, and his gun was in his hands. But those hands were shaking, and a faint trail of blood trickled down his wrist.

The dull sound of the blaster firing perked K's attention, pushing himself to his unsteady feet as O fired a second shot.

"I'll catch at least one damn ghost today if it kills me."

He muttered quietly, dropping the gun as one of the shots hit its target, the three attackers falling just as they had moments ago into a heaping pile on the roof.

"Where did Phantom go, did you see?"

K asked, trying to squint at the light that had been working its way past his shades as the shrill beeping finally subsided from his glasses, an error message appearing briefly before it shutdown altogether.

"They'll know." O muttered, striding towards the group as a blue light glowed brightly for a moment before fading away and revealing three kids, each crushing the other under their weight. "Hey! You're just geeks!"

O shouted, his fists clenching as one of the boys who was decked out in red pajamas lifted a weak finger.

"Technically, we're enthusiasts."

"He got away again.."

K murmured, turning a full circle around the roof, no sign of the Phantom anywhere. His partner said nothing, quickly unhooking the broken jetpack and letting it fall at his feet while he scooped up both of their guns.

"You hungry?"

The question took K by surprise, the man limping closer as he arched his brows.

"Why?"

"We're getting food, then we're going to a motel and sleeping for the next two days."

"What about the ghost boy?"

"Fuck it. After all this, we're as good as fired anyway. Might as well relax a couple of days before we're thrown into the fire."

Stalking towards the other side where a maintenance ladder was, K shrugged lightly.

"Good a plan as any I guess."

"Tell you what though, if I ever see that ghost kid again, I'm going to kill it. Rip it apart until every last drop of blood leaves it's body." Glancing at his partner, O's face was blank, no emotion on it whatsoever as he met his cold stare. "If I ever see it again, I'll make sure it suffers."

* * *

**A/N**

**Well this was a LOT longer than I was planning. I hope you guys enjoyed it at least! I wanted to give them more of a reason for why they were so intent on destroying Danny. I think they don't really care or believe he's half human, and that's why he's so heavily referred to as an 'it' this whole chapter. I wanted the two Guys in White to be more.. human? I guess? Not sure if I succeeded or if this whole chapter was a bust, but we're finally getting down to the final fight, and I'm looking forward to it! **


	21. 21 - Maddie

Daylight streamed through the bars of the cage as Maddie shielded her eyes from the sun, glaring across at where Freakshow was sifting through a steamer trunk, various items falling to the ground around him.

The third day was rapidly coming to an end and the tension all the adults felt was rising at a steady rate. Jack had been pacing back and forth since they'd woken up and Jazz had kept closer to them then she had the entire two days before.

There had been no word, not even a sound about the kids. Maddie didn't care what happened to her, but why had there not been anything about Danny? Had something happened to him?

Freakshow had given them various updates over the past couple of days so she knew they were traveling and looking for the gems, but they were just teenagers, who knew what kind of trouble they might have run into?

A piece of her had wondered if they would make it back in time, but realistically she knew it wasn't possible. She'd seen Phantom do a lot of things, but at the end of the day they were a bunch of fourteen years old kids with no driver's license, no money and no guidance. If she was praying for a miracle, it was just that her son would be safe.

"Where is it?" Freakshow snapped, his voice carrying towards their prison as Jazz glanced up, her shoulder brushing against her mother's. "I swear, never let a _ghost_ handle anything of importance." He muttered, slamming the lid of the trunk closed as he turned, regarding the Fenton's briefly before stalking towards his train car.

As he yanked the door open a quiet beeping echoed from beside the trunk, a red light pulsing beneath a strip of blue cloth. "Oh? What have we here?" He gasped, an over exaggerated motion following the villainous man as he pushed aside the cloth and held up a small device that flashed a bright scarlet.

"Oh, oh! Do you know what this means?" He grinned madly, moving close and holding the light towards the family. Jack stopped pacing and glared, hatred burning through him as Maddie frowned.

"Oh come now, nothing to say? Well, I'll tell you what this means. It _means_ that your precious little brats have my gems, every single one of them!" He cackled, pocketing the device as he turned his back to them.

"Lydia!" He yelled as the ghost phased through the wall and hovered near him, the hood she wore covering her ghoulish features. "Go get them."

His thin lips twisted into a grotesque smile as a green mist began to cover the ghost, swirls of neon color surrounding her until she was gone from sight, leaving Freakshow standing triumphantly in the abandoned yard.

"What are you doing?" Jasmine's voice spoke out, Maddie's eyes darting to her daughter as the girl sat up, a red tint to her cheeks from the heat of the day.

"I'm retrieving what's mine, of course. You really think that ghost boy could make it back here in time? Please, I'm honestly surprised he managed to locate the gems at all. He's not exactly the brightest now is he?" He goaded, smiling wider at the slam of the bars that came from Jack as the large man snarled.

"You lay a finger on my son and I'll end you, Freak!"

"Because I haven't heard that one before. Tell me, do the museums know one of their Neanderthals got free?" He sneered, turning his back to them and clasping his hands behind his back. "Any moment now."

Maddie found herself leaning forwards, staring at the same place Lydia had vanished from as a green mist began to emerge from the ground. Holding her breath, the woman watched as ectoplasm bats began to swirl around, rising higher and higher into the air before they broke apart and the three teenagers collapsed to the ground in front of the cages.

"Danny!" Jazz screamed, flying forwards and grabbing ahold of the bars as all eyes rested on the kids. Lydia emerged from behind the trio, red eyes glowing beneath her hood as she moved behind Freakshow, the impish man practically singing with glee.

A groan echoed out from the group as one of the boy's heads lifted, pained green eyes attempting to focus on their surroundings as Maddie's breath caught on the way out.

How many times had she seen Phantom around town? How many times had she blatantly ignored the fact that he looked so _young_. And now there he was, right in front of her eyes, and it was like seeing him for the first time.

Snow white hair, glowing green eyes and a jumpsuit that she should have recognized months back. He was so different, but still so very much like her son.

The kids had begun to move, a few more pained sounds erupting from the teenagers as Danny sat up, a hand rising to his head as his eyes flickered over to the train cars, his gaze settling on his mother.

He looked terrible and it broke her heart to see. She was used to bags under the boy's eyes when he was up too late studying, or rather ghost hunting. She was even used to his moaning on mornings he felt he didn't need to get out of bed. But what she certainly wasn't used to seeing was the blood. And there was just _so_ _much of it._

Trailing down his head and staining his hair, tears in his suit that revealed more cuts and bruises that were tinted green with his ectoblood and a jagged cut along his cheek that left streaks smeared across his face. He looked as if he'd been hit by a truck and run over repeatedly.

Biting down on her lip to keep herself from crying, Maddie gave him a weak smile that seemed to perk him up a bit. Suddenly she was on the same boat as Jack. If she got her hands on Freakshow she would kill him on the spot for what he'd done to her family. To her son.

"Well well," Freakshow boomed, striding forwards and standing over the kids as each head lifted to stare at him. "Look what the bats dragged in, _with_ my Reality Gems."

His grin was nothing short of malicious as Danny reached behind him, tugging out the Fenton Thermos from Tucker's backpack and holding it close. There was a moment of hesitation, his eyes flicking back to his parents before a hard look passed over his face and he was forcing himself to his feet.

"I don't think so!" He yelled, fist tightening around the thermos. Freakshow appeared bored by the show of defiance, barely flicking a finger as a neon wave rushed around the boy and pulled the thermos right out of his hand.

"Oh no." He murmured, eyes widening as he muttered under his breath and tightened his fists. Starting towards the Freak, Danny's arms were pulled tight against his sides as Lydia's tattoos attacked again, wrapping firmly around the teenagers and knocking the boy back to the ground as he struggled to free himself.

Tipping the thermos over and catching the glittering gems as they tumbled out into his hand, Freakshow cast a victorious smile at her son.

"The Gem of Life," He announced, sliding the red stone into its slot. "The Gem of Form," The yellow slid in next. "The Gem of Fantasy." The final gem fell into place and a weight settled in Maddie's stomach. "Put them with the power source, and thanks to you, I now know how to activate the gauntlet." Freakshow laughed, the gems brightening as he pressed them one at a time.

"Danny, stop him!" Sam yelled, struggling against her ghostly bindings as Danny grimaced, trying to get his arms loose.

"I can't break free!" He yelled, panic and fear weaving into his words as his feet dug into the ground.

Maddie pressed against the bars between her husband and daughter, all three watching as he fought for his freedom. The gauntlet had begun to glow, power rolling off the Freak in waves, but Maddie couldn't take her eyes off of Danny.

He wouldn't stop struggling, a pained expression on his face as he twisted and turned and kicked, trying everything he could to be rid of his bindings. Jerking to the side, green eyes fell on his parents and Maddie's hand grabbed ahold of Jack's.

Seeing him struggle was awful and seeing him in pain was worse, but the look in her son's eyes felt like someone was stabbing her through the chest. Because amidst the fear and the anger and the worry, the thing that outweighed them all was the _guilt_. Danny felt _guilty_ because of what was happening.

She wanted to reach for him, to hug him close and tell him it wasn't his fault. None of this was on him, it never had been. His biggest responsibility in life was to go to school and get good grades. His biggest worry should have been girls and parties and homework.

But her son, her strong, selfless, _heroic_ son, he had placed so much more on himself that never should have been there. He had carried the weight of the town, the weight of his secret, the weight of his _parents_ on himself and carried it around every day. And even now, when he'd been run ragged and had been hunted and had fought to free them, he blamed _himself_ for Freakshow winning.

A heavy gust of wind blew through the bars of their cage, Maddie wrapping an arm tight around Jasmine's shoulders as Freakshow's clothes changed, shifting from the cheap coat and silly hat he wore to a long red tailcoat and black top hat. A long staff appeared in his hand, a glowing blood red diamond seated on top as it glittered in the light.

"Thanks to you, I am now the ringmaster of _all_ reality!" Freakshow cackled, his hand lifting and moving through the air as the sky above changed to an inky purple hue, a chill descending and wrapping tight around Maddie as her next breath fell out with a misty cloud of air.

Laughter that grew louder and more maniacal echoed around them as the Freak rose through the air, a pillar beneath his feet as he extended his arms out dramatically. Fireworks exploded in the sky behind him, bright bursts of color that gave off shrill shrieks popping left and right as he was lowered back to the ground.

"Neato, huh?" He boasted, his eyes flashing as they landed on Jasmine. The girl pushed herself closer to her parents, a hard look passing over her features as Maddie hugged her tightly. Why the Freak was looking at her like that she didn't know, but let him try coming near her daughter, just let him _try_.

"Let them go, Freakshow!" Danny's voice cut in, his tone commanding attention as he forced himself up onto his knees. "I brought you the gems, we had a deal!" His arms shifted as he fought against his ghostly restraints, a mixture of red and green blood sliding down his sleeve through a tear in the shoulder as Maddie clenched her teeth.

"The deal was 'bring me the gems if you want to see them alive again' and well, here they are, alive. _For_ _now_." He laughed, leaning his face closer to the boy as he sneered at him. Danny's eyes flashed, glowing an ethereal hue as he tried to throw himself at the man only to be forced back to the ground by Lydia's powers.

Turning his back to the trio, the staff switched back and forth between Freakshow's hands, obviously getting great delight from the power he held as Danny's body trembled, rage building as Maddie spotted Sam murmuring something next to the boy.

All at once the glow in his eyes faded and his body sagged, his head turning until his gaze landed on his family. _"I'm sorry."_ He mouthed before ducking his head in shame as Maddie sunk against Jack.

It was all real. They couldn't stop him, not anymore. Freakshow had won, Danny had been beaten and all of reality was about to be lost forever.

* * *

**A/N**

**Danny literally needs a hug SO DAMN BAD ugh. Four chapters to go! I know this one was shorter, but we're about to get into the big fight and I wanted a final view from his family's side when they reappeared.**

**Hope you guys enjoyed, leave a comment or a review, I love hearing from you!**


	22. 22 - Sam

Sam was getting tired of being tied up. She understood that being the friend of someone that regularly saved their town and had made every villainous ghost mad at him at one time or another would be dangerous, but seriously, couldn't they be a _little_ more original?

Lydia had shown up out of nowhere and taken the trio back home, which maybe she should've been grateful about because the cross country trip had _definitely_ lost its charm; but it had been down right miserable.

Little pinpricks of pain still shot through her every time she moved and blood that would never come out stained her clothes while jagged cuts decorated her skin in a disgusting fashion. Someone needed to train their ghostly tattoo bats better that was for sure.

Wriggling against her bindings lavender eyes flickered towards her parent's cage before darting away again, unwilling to meet their prying gaze.

How angry were they at her? Did they blame Danny for being captured? She had so many questions, but there wasn't really an ideal time to ask any of them.

"Let them go, Freakshow! I brought you the gems, we had a deal!" Danny yelled, pushing himself to his knees as Sam's back leaned against Tucker's.

How did he even have the energy to keep fighting? She was exhausted, completely drained. And yet Danny hadn't stopped struggling, he just wouldn't give up.

"The deal was 'bring me the gems if you want to see them alive again' and well, here they are, alive. _For_ _now_." Freakshow sneered, getting in Danny's face as the boy tensed.

There was no warning when he threw himself towards the impish man, every ounce of energy sending the boy forwards only to be yanked back to the ground by Lydia's powers. Sam could feel his anger, unbridled rage building as Danny's eyes began to glow a terrifying green.

"Danny," Sam murmured, pushing herself closer to him until her shoulder pressed against his. "Calm down. I know you're angry but you don't want your parents to see you lose control."

Turning to look at him, Danny's rigid form began to relax until his whole body slumped back, a defeated expression crossing his face as the glow in his eyes faded. He wouldn't look at her, his head merely turning towards their parents as Sam bit her lip, sending a harsh glare towards Freakshow's back.

She wasn't sure how they were going to get out of things this time, but she couldn't wait to knock that Freak down a few pegs. He'd kidnapped their parents, he'd put them through hell, and his stupid gem had _ruined_ Gothapalooza. He would regret what he'd done; they would make sure of that.

"Sam," Tucker hissed, his weight shoving into her as the girl glanced over her shoulder. "Can you reach my arm?"

"What?"

"My left arm, it itches like crazy and I can't.. I can't reach it.." He grumbled, straining against his bindings as Sam scoffed, jabbing him with her shoulder.

"Bigger problems here, Tucker!" Rolling her eyes, Sam scooted herself closer to the two boys and leaned her head near Danny's.

He still hadn't looked up and his body sagged weakly; two things that sent worry coursing through her. His head was still bleeding from his stint with the comic nerds and his eyes held a dazed look in them. Could he even still fight? If they found a way to break free, would he be able to take Freakshow down?

Fighting against her restraints, a dark chuckle erupted from the man standing over them as Sam's eyes lifted, staring directly at Freakshow's raised palm. A surge of power left his hand and she watched as their parents disappeared one at a time from their cages.

"What-" She started before his hand moved towards her and everything around them turned hazy. It felt like she was floating; lights and colors flying by though she remained in place.

Everything was just out of focus and she felt like she was moving a step behind everything else. It seemed like it lasted for an eternity, everything in her body rebelling against the strange motion she couldn't fight. Phasing through things with Danny suddenly seemed like a picnic to her.

With a sudden jolt everything snapped back into place, leaving the girl nauseas and her head spinning. Tucker groaned beside her as everything realigned into focus and she found they were sitting in the front car of a roller coaster.

"I think I'm gonna be sick." Tucker moaned, doubling over and clutching his stomach as Sam leaned forwards in her seat.

They were no longer tied up, but they were high in the air on the tracks of the strangest roller coaster she had ever seen.

Along its course she could see a clown swaying back and forth before a burst of flames erupted from its mouth, scorching the entire track for several seconds before returning to its gentle sway.

Further down were two swinging metal blocks that collided heavily into each other, the noise a grating pain in her head as each strike caused termers that shook through the framework.

Twisting in her seat and looking towards the end of the ride, a weight settled in her stomach as she fought to keep the panic at bay.

If they somehow survived the fire and the crushing weights, they would arrive at the cut off track that would send them falling straight into a pool of what had to be acid. Sam had never seen an acid pool before, but she wouldn't put it past Freakshow at this point.

Looking behind her, each set of their parents were in the last three cars, with the Manson's directly behind her.

"Mom, Dad, are you guys okay?" She asked, gripping the back of her seat as her parents looked away from their looming demise.

"Samantha, oh my sweet girl." Her mother cried, pushing herself forwards and wrapping her arms around her neck as Sam hissed in pain. Pulling back in concern, Sam's eyes darted away as heat crept up her face.

She knew how bad she looked, even by normal ghost fighter standards. And she knew they were about to meet their death head on if Danny didn't get them out soon, but she was relieved to see her parents all the same. They were both sunburnt and dirty but looked unharmed otherwise. At least the Freak hadn't hurt them.

"You're bleeding." Her mother's voice distracted her as she felt a hand brush against her face, Sam's eyes flickering back to her family.

"I'm okay." She promised, though her voice felt weak even to her own ears. Nothing about any of this was okay but she couldn't let herself lose it now. They had to get out and they had to help Danny. Oh God, _Danny_.

Turning back around and leaning over Tucker, the two looked down at the ground where Freakshow hovered over their friend, his arms still restrained at his sides as he looked up at them helplessly.

"We have to get down there, we have to help him."

"How? We're kinda trapped, if you hadn't noticed." Tucker gestured around them as Sam scowled.

"We'll just have to climb down!"

"Samantha Manson, don't you dare! You leave that ghost boy and stay here where it's-"

"Safe?" Sam cut in, glaring her father's way as she folded her arms over her chest. "Yeah, fire and acid are so much safer. Danny needs our help!"

"Uh, Sam?" Tucker tapped on the girl's shoulder as she turned, peering down at where Danny was back on his knees.

"You lied to me!" His voice sounded so far away, but even from their distance Sam could hear his anger.

"Yes, yes I did, goody for me. But it wouldn't be drama if I didn't give you a sporting chance." With a wave of his staff, the bindings around Danny disappeared and the boy lurched forwards, his eyes flickering up to the Freak.

"He let him go." Tucker stared as Sam grabbed his arm, her fingers tightening around his shirt.

"He's not moving." She whispered hoarsely, watching as their friend struggled to push himself back upright.

"And an audience, a _big_ audience!" Freakshow boomed, waving his staff through the air again as massive stands with bleachers materialized all around them.

"He needs to move, why isn't he _moving_." Shaking at Tucker's arm, she tried to lean closer as the boy's hands held her back.

Large screens televising Freakshow were placed around the new stadium as the picture shifted and Danny appeared in blinding detail. He'd half risen, though one knee and hand were placed firmly on the ground as if to keep him steady as blood continued to drip from his arm.

"That sick _bastard_." Sam cursed, her hand slamming into the car as pain shot through her wrist.

"You're right, we've gotta get to him." Tucker nodded as cheering suddenly erupted throughout the stands.

Every person who had appeared was dressed as some sort of clown, with makeup and wigs and frilly clothing that made Sam sick. She was _never_ going to another circus ever again.

"Let's go." Sam grabbed Tucker's hand as she stood up, wind catching her hair as she gripped the safety bar tightly.

"Uh, Sam, I figured out why they're cheering." Tucker squeaked out, grabbing ahold of her wrist and pointing down below where Lydia stood by the coasters controls.

"Oh, fu-"

"Sit down!" Tugging her back into her seat, Tucker quickly pulled down their safety bar as Lydia pushed the lever down and the ride began to move.

"No, no, no! Danny!" Sam yelled, gripping the bar as the cars began to roll forwards, a steep drop leading to the first curve only seconds away.

"Danny!" His name was ripped from her mouth as the cars dropped, gathering speed as the ride shot down and shoved the girl's back against her seat.

As they neared the first curve Sam fought to keep her eyes open, the ride barreling down the track as she tried to see how close they were getting to the clown.

"Ladies and gentleman, freaks of all ages!" Freakshow's voice shouted over the speakers as Sam spotted Danny on one of the screens, the boy flying towards them as fast as he could. "May I direct your attention to the center ring where Danny Phantom, AKA Danny Fenton, will attempt to rescue his friends and family from a _ghastly_ doom of _my own_ construction!"

Cackling could be heard from all over as Sam grabbed ahold of Tucker's hand again and squeezed it tightly as their bodies leaned into each other with the curve, smoke from the clown's fire starting to waft towards them.

As the coaster began to straighten, Sam spotted Danny as he landed on the track ahead, readying himself to catch the cars and stop them. Relief flooded through her as he caught her eye and flashed her the smallest smile.

Bracing herself for the impact, Sam glanced down at where Freakshow stood watching, a sadistic smile in place as the diamond on the top of his staff glowed and Danny let out a yelp.

"Hey what did you- oh man!" He yelled, fear clouding his features as Sam fought back a scream. He was still on the tracks, but his body had begun to change color, shifting into a dull orange as he stared at the oncoming cars in motionless horror.

"Danny!" Sam was screaming his name as they collided, the front of the car slamming into her best friend as he broke apart, pieces of orange goo flying off the tracks and landing on the ground below while leaving a morbid trail behind.

"_D-Danny_!" Tears were streaming down her face as she screamed herself hoarse, lunging across the small space to stare down at the gruesome scene as Tucker choked beside her.

"It-It can't be." He murmured, his body rigid as Sam sobbed, her hands covering her face as his parents voices rose up behind her.

"No!"

"Danny! _No_!" Maddie Fenton's screams were the worst thing Sam had ever heard, horrible gut wrenching sobs echoing behind her as she dropped her head in her hands, warmth streaming past her fingers as her chest constricted painfully.

Freakshow had killed him. Freakshow had _murdered_ him. Oh God. Oh _God _he was _dead_.

"No, n-no he can't.. he can't be.." Her words were meaningless, every breath painful and every broken sob destroying her all over again.

She never got to tell him how she felt. She never got to tell him thank you. After everything they'd been through and he was gone.

The ride shot down another incline and the clown's fire grew closer but Sam didn't care. What did it matter? Her best friend was gone. The one person who meant _everything_ to her was just.. _gone_. Danny Fenton was dead; and nothing else mattered to her.

* * *

**A/N**

**Do you ever cry over your own stuff? Like maybe I'm over emotional tonight while writing this but I legit teared up writing Sam like this. Oof. They need happy endings all around after this.**

**Three chapters left, I just hope I am doing this last fight justice! Chapters are a bit shorter, but what can I say, I couldn't pass up a cliffhanger like this.**

**Let me know what you guys think! Any thoughts comments or concerns are cool, I just want to hear from you! Feedback is the best gift you can give for my stories 3**


	23. 23 - Tucker

Tucker had never seen death up close. Well, not an _actual_ death. He was friends with a half ghost who had been regularly fighting full-fledged ghosts for months. But he'd never watched someone die.

When he was five, his grandmother had gotten really sick. His parents explained the concept to him, told him that he wouldn't be able to see her anymore. But when the time came he wasn't in the room, they'd merely told him she was gone.

He supposed in a way he'd become desensitized to the idea. After all, the ghosts they fought were dead, but they weren't in pain. They existed in the ghost zone and most even seemed kind of pleasant, when they weren't trying to hurt them that was. So death had never really felt.. real.

But all of that changed when he heard Sam scream. It was like watching it in slow motion; the coaster cars ramming into a frozen Danny Fenton at high speed.

He'd been friends with him since forever. They'd grown up together, trudged through Middle School with one another, became friends with Sam.

Taking away everything ghost related, which was difficult with Danny's parents in the mix, they had tons of adventures that had brought the three of them closer together. And now it was over. It was all gone, just like that, in the blink of an eye.

The Fenton's screamed behind him and Tucker's stomach twisted itself into knots as he stared blankly ahead. After everything they'd been through, after fighting off the Guys in White and traveling around the whole country looking for those ridiculous gems, it was all over.

Turquoise eyes drifted over the side of the car at the mess of orange gelatin splattered against the ground that didn't even resemble anything close to his friend. What had Freakshow done to him? How had this happened?

The boy fought off a surge of sickness as the ride jerked them to the right, slowing down on a long stretch of flat track.

Nothing felt real. Not the danger of what awaited them, not the reality of seeing Danny killed, nothing. All he could focus on was Sam's _sobbing_. Awful, heart breaking cries as the girl curled in on herself, trembling fingers tearing at her own skin as Tucker's hands balled into fists.

He couldn't move his body, every inch of him stiff as his gaze lifted to one of the television screens Freakshow had created. If he looked long enough, prayed hard enough, _begged the universe_, would Danny reappear?

How many times had he seen his best friend overcome even the worst odds? How often had he surprised them, coming back when no one thought he could? Danny Fenton was a fighter, and he was stronger and braver than anyone knew. He wasn't actually dead. _He couldn't be dead._

"What's that? You want more?" Freakshow's voice echoed around them, the volume causing Tucker to wince as his body shook uncontrollably.

Disgusting cheers thundered from the stands, the crowds hollering their approval and demands for more. More death, more destruction. More, more, more. Tucker wanted to scream.

"Well, since you insist. I'll give you more, _much more_!" Thrusting his hand into the air, power radiated from the gauntlet in waves, energy bursting into the sky as crimson tinted the world around them.

Tucker's hand was moving without thought, his arm wrapping around Sam's shoulders as she caved into him, her sobs quieter though still wracking through her body in wave after wave.

Swallowing past the lump in his throat, Tucker kept his eyes glued on the screens as the coaster began to rise up an incline, the fiery breath of the demented clown creating surges of sweltering heat around them.

As horrifying a thought as death by clown fire was, what disturbed the boy even more were the pictures that flashed across the screens.

Different parts of the world were being destroyed by Freakshow's power; monuments were defaced and buildings crumbled to dust.

The screaming was nearly deafening, the smallest images of people running from the catastrophizes only to be wiped out by falling debris or transformed into deformed clowns.

"It's all mine now." Freakshow smiled, blood red lips twisting into a cruel grin as he flickered across the screens.

The gauntlet was humming with power, the gems blinding as the next screen displayed fields of crops all withering and dying, fires erupting and wiping out entire farmlands in seconds and consuming cattle with painful shrieks.

"My revenge." He boasted, fingers tightening around his staff as he looked towards the ride.

Another screen flashed images of freeways and bridges colliding and twisting into massive loops as cars fell into the water below.

Crashes and fires were immediate, the blood and the gore making Tucker turn away, burying his face in Sam's hair as he shuddered at a young girl's terrified scream that cut off too abruptly.

"Your nightmare."

Tucker hugged Sam tighter, his arms shaking as tears slid down his face. How many people had he killed just for the sake of it? How many lives ruined, how many cities destroyed?

"There! A kingdom fit for a Freak, and a freakdom fit for a King!" Freakshow cackled, the maniac laughter wrapping around the teenager's chest and cutting off his air as he struggled to breathe.

Glancing up, he realized it wasn't actually the psychotic man, but rather the smoke from the fire choking him as they neared the top of the track which would send them racing towards a fiery hell.

Would it kill them right away or would they suffer through the burns? He'd burned himself on the stove once trying to make s'mores with Sam and Danny and it had hurt for days. How bad would that be covering his entire body?

Coughing loudly, Sam's sobbing had come to an end as she sat against his chest, red rimmed eyes staring at the clown as it swayed back and forth, red and orange and blue flames shooting out across the length of the track.

This was never supposed to happen. After all they'd done, how could it end like this? Hadn't they done enough to deserve a break? Why did they have to die; why did they have to suffer?

Tucker had wanted to go to college. He'd wanted to invent new gadgets, upgrade to different software. He wanted to kiss a _girl_ for God's sake. Didn't he deserve to have those moments? To go to his senior prom, to finally see Sam and Danny end up together. Hadn't they sacrificed enough? Was saving their town over and over again not enough?

The clown swayed and fire shot from its mouth, the inches between it and them disappearing as it reared back, readying another blast as Tucker cringed away.

He could feel the heat, could taste the smoke in the air. But he couldn't feel the flames. Opening his eyes, his breath caught in his throat and he wondered if he'd already died. Maybe he'd blocked out the pain and had died somewhat peacefully. Although if he hadn't that meant-

"Danny!" Jasmine's voice cried out, the dark haired boy holding up a large ectoshield as the fire beat against it. Tucker could see the strain on him, forcing the shield to remain intact until the cars had safely passed.

"He's alive!" Jack Fenton's voice drifted up to Tucker, the boy's parents in awe and shock as Danny sped after the ride.

"He's alive." Sam murmured, twisting in her seat to see him as Tucker glanced at the track ahead.

"Yeah, but we won't be for much longer." He pointed, the slamming of the metal blocks rattling his teeth as Danny pulled up beside their car.

He looked paler than usual, his skin papery as dark circles shadowed his eyes like bruises. He looked pissed off, which Tucker didn't blame him for. But it made him wonder. Danny had always been a half ghost. Was it possible that now.. That after what happened.. Was he a full ghost now? How else could he be there, how else could he have survived?

The next slam of the metal blocks sent heavy tremors through the tracks, Tucker falling into Sam as a weight settled in his stomach. Freakshow really went all the way, hadn't he?

Danny glanced over at his friends but unlike before no smile graced his features. Instead his hands glowed as he pulled his arms back and shot an ectoblast into the metal blocks. It destroyed them with ease, pieces of shrapnel flying away as Tucker ducked and covered his head.

"Nice one!" He yelled, turning to look over his shoulder as Danny fell behind, settling into a steady flight beside his family.

"He has ghost envy!" Jasmine was shouting, leaning over the back of her seat as Danny furrowed his brows in confusion. "Use psychology!"

Tucker almost laughed at that, Danny's sister always trying to help through the strangest means possible. Although he and Sam often helped by being a distraction that usually caused more harm than good, so, who was he to judge?

Regardless, it seemed to click with Danny as the boy stopped midflight. "Psychology? That's it!"

The boy could see a plan forming inside his friend's mind and relief washed over him. Danny was okay, they were out of immediate danger, and he could finally take Freakshow down. Maybe things would work out after all. Maybe-

"Oh no, you don't get to leave this world with a smile." Freakshow thundered, his voice shaking the earth as Tucker grabbed ahold of the safety bar holding him in his seat.

Behind him the ringmaster towered over everything. Power radiated off of him, the gems glowing like fire on the gauntlet as the demonic man swung his hand towards Danny, the appendage now twice the size of the boy as the halfa darted out of the way.

"That's so not fair." Sam scoffed beside him as they watched their friend dive out of the way of the Freak.

"He'll beat him," Tucker assured her, blue hues flickering to the end of the ride where the track was cut off as they began to climb another rising incline. "I hope.."

* * *

**A/N**

**I really wanted to hit 100k words by the end of this, but these chapters are coming out WAY shorter than I had planned. Plus side, the next chapter should be longer as it concludes the final fight. I can't believe I started this a year ago and now it's almost over!**

**Leave your reviews, leave your comments, leave me anything! Your support keeps me going and pulls out the motivation to continue writing! Plus I just love seeing your feedback!**


	24. 24 - Sam

"Oh no, you don't get to leave this world with a smile." Freakshow thundered, his voice shaking the earth as he towered high above them. The gems in the gauntlet glowed blindingly, a massive hand that was twice the size of Danny swatting at him like he was nothing but a fly.

"That's so not fair." Sam scoffed, hating the way her voice still sounded so thick with emotion.

"He'll beat him," Tucker stated before he was sinking lower in his seat, hands grasping the safety bar warily. "I hope."

"Why wouldn't I smile?" Danny laughed, and it was something Sam hadn't heard in what felt like forever. "So what if you're the most powerful _human_ on Earth?" Freakshow's hands clamped over the boy as Sam caught her breath, twisting in her seat as Danny phased through the gloves and popped back out like a jack in the box. "No matter whatcha do I'm half ghost and, uh, _you're_ _not_."

Sam couldn't remember the last time she'd seen him so cocky. Confidence was bleeding out of him as he zoomed around Freakshow, easily dodging his attacks and taunting him mercilessly.

He had to have a plan with the way those green eyes were calculating every move the ringmaster made, but he also seemed to be having the time of his life. She knew he liked his powers, but with the enjoyment had come the heavy weight of responsibilities.

They had seen him play around with them and she had chided him more than once about not using them for the wrong things, but she'd never seen him act so carefree.

His body moved in the air with ease, a relaxed and almost bored expression on his face as Freakshow swung his staff only to have the halfa phase through it like it was nothing.

The roller coaster jerked, the ride slowing down as another long stretch led to the highest incline yet. Danny had managed to save them from the last two dangers, but she knew what was at the bottom of that final drop. She knew what it would mean if he didn't finish Freakshow soon.

"I'm the _master_ of _all_ reality!" Freakshow spat, thrusting out his hand as a blast of energy shot out of his palm that was aimed directly at the ghost boy as Danny smirked, folding his arms across his chest and easily sliding out of the way.

It was like night and day watching him compared to just a few minutes earlier. It was like any pain he felt, any grogginess and fear were all gone. How did he do that?

"Oh sure, but can you do _this_?" The halfa goaded, his body twisting almost painfully around the attack as he pretended to stifle a yawn.

Whatever he was doing it was obviously working because the crowd was losing it. Cheering and shouting overcame the stadium, chants of the boy's name egging him on as he pumped his fists in the air at them.

"What?" Freakshow gasped, turning around and glaring hatefully at the turned crowd that had been created by his own hand. "No! He's not the star of this circus! I am! _Me_!"

The psychotic man was losing his edge, rage burning in his eyes as he clenched the staff tighter, his shoulders tensing as Danny grinned, darting around in front of him and spinning through the air.

It was like watching a gymnast flying through the sky, cartwheels and handstands accompanying the boy's laughter as he turned intangible for a few moments before reappearing, a hard look settling in his eyes as he waved his hands about.

A laugh left him, but it was no longer filled with joviality. There was an edge to it and the cocky expression he'd worn had been replaced with one just as cold as his laugh.

"Ghost powers," He called, spinning around again. "Ghost energy," Ectoenergy pulsed around the boy, his hands glowing with power. "Ghost, ghost, _ghost_!" He yelled, firing a blast with each repeated word as he crossed his arms in a victorious manner.

The blasts he had sent flying struck Freakshow's oversized top hat, creating two eyes and a smile through the fabric as the Freak growled. The cheering grew louder, hollering and praise thrown towards the halfa as the boy waved mockingly, his picture displayed on every screen in the stadium.

"That's it!" Freakshow yelled, his foot stamping into the ground and sending shockwaves through the earth as the ride faltered, the tracks trembling as the ride crept forwards even slower, though it was already halfway up its ramp. "I will _not_ be _upstaged_ by a _ghost_!" He screamed, the man brimming with hatred as the crowd began to boo at him.

Clowns all over were rising to their feet, hands waving away the ringmaster and yelling for him to leave as Danny smirked again, shrugging his shoulders in an exaggerated manner.

"Uhm, _half _ghost, technically. But still _way_ cooler than _you_." He scoffed, his gaze cutting for the first time towards the tracks as Sam gripped the side of the car tightly.

He had certainly made him angry enough, but what was his end goal? Sam could usually pick up on Danny's plans easily enough, often times coming up with them herself, but at the moment it seemed like he just wanted to piss him off, which he'd certainly succeeded at.

"Enough!" Freakshow shrieked, his hand swiping through the air and catching the halfa off guard. The sound of metal colliding with flesh was sickening and loud; the boy's body hurtling to the ground as Sam shoved herself up, grabbing Tucker's shoulder to keep steady.

"Danny!" She yelled, though she knew she was too high for him to hear as the boy lay motionless on the ground, his arm bent awkwardly beneath him and his face pressed into the dirt.

"_Shit_, that looks bad." Tucker murmured, leaning over the side of the car himself as Freakshow stood over him, his chest heaving as he clutched the staff tightly.

"Come on, get up. You have to get up." Sam urged, squeezing her friend's shoulder as the halfa groaned, his head shifting weakly though his eyes remained closed.

"I may be losing control of the crowd, but I control all reality. If you think being half ghost is _so_ _cool_-" Freakshow paused, raising the gauntlet in the air as the gems flashed, colored light streaming out over the stadium as Sam shielded her eyes. "What do you think of _me_ now that I'm _all_ ghost?" He cackled, the light dying as Sam peeked over her arm.

The sight in front of her was sickening, a chill running through her body though she could not look away. Freakshow's shadow fell over the stadium, massive leathery wings curled in around him as he stared down at the fallen boy.

His body was the same tinted hue that all ghosts were, thin flesh pulled taught over his bones as three blood red eyes darted around hungrily. White fangs several inches long protruded from his mouth while oily black saliva dripped from them as he grinned over his prey.

"Do I strike fear into your heart?" He wailed, the wings snapping open as four arms shot out, three of them displaying daggered claws while the fourth still wore the gauntlet.

"That's sick and _wrong_." Tucker grimaced, grabbing ahold of Sam's elbow as she sunk back into her seat, bile threatening to rise up her throat.

Across the Freak's chest were two eyes set deep into his skin, the color tinted yellow with thin crimson veins crisscrossing over them. Even worse though was the mouth set below them, a gaping hole filled with rows of blood coated teeth that gnashed together as he hovered over Danny.

"Do you see how _I_ am the master of _all_; human _and_ ghost?" He cackled out of both mouths, each of the four fists simultaneously clenching as he glared triumphantly over the boy.

"I think.." Danny spoke sluggishly, his voice amplified over the speakers as the pictures on the screens changed to his broken form as he struggled to sit up. "..this just got.. a lot easier.."

In one fluid motion the arm that had been twisted beneath the boy came free and in his hand was the Fenton Thermos.

"Oh my God." Sam whispered, suddenly laughing aloud as the halfa's eyes shifted to a brighter green.

Twisting off the cap and pointing it up at the Freak, the ringmaster's expression changed, a wave of light grabbing ahold of his ectoenergy as his body shuddered.

"_What_?" He yelled, the ghost fighting against the pull as Danny held his gaze, a hard look crossing his face as he held the thermos up closer.

"No, no! _No_!" Freakshow shrieked, turning and throwing himself into the air in an attempt to break free. But it was too late, the energy of the thermos dragging the ghost inch by inch into its grasp as heavy hands grappled at the earth. "You can't do this! I am the master of all reality!"

"Not anymore." Danny stated coolly as the ghost was drawn in faster, the edges of his wings sucked inside as he screamed, his body contorting and shrinking until he had been fully contained.

With a pop, the gauntlet broke free and fell to the ground in a heap as Danny slammed the lid of the thermos down and tightened it with a slight shake of his head. "Sucker."

"He did it, _he_ _did_ _it_!" Sam yelled, shaking Tucker's arm as the boy grinned.

"I knew he could do it! I knew-" His words cut off as their ride jerked, Sam's eyes turning forwards as the cars balanced precariously on the top of the final drop. At the bottom of the fall was the pool of acid, an enormous vat just waiting for them as the ride teetered dangerously.

"Not good." Tucker murmured, shrinking back into his seat.

"Danny.. Danny!" Sam yelled, her head turning back to the ground where Danny Fenton sat breathing.

It was the first time she'd noticed the mix of green and red blood smeared across his face, the first time she'd spotted the giant tear in his sleeve and the way his shoulder was awkwardly propped. His arm was discolored and the pain on his face was immense.

She knew he was exhausted beyond belief, but they weren't done yet because with the worst timing ever, the ride dropped.

The world around her slowed, green eyes lifting and meeting her gaze as his face turned horrorstruck, the boy scrambling to his knees as Sam felt tears gathering in her eyes. But she was no longer screaming, no longer panicking like those she heard behind her.

All she could do was smile. It was weak and strained and _God_ she felt like her face was going to crack. But he was okay. The threat was gone, and Danny was alive. In the end, they'd won. After everything that happened, at least there was a silver lining.

Sam's eyes fell shut and her body shook as Tucker intertwined his fingers with hers. Danny wasn't going to reach them in time, and they both knew it.

Wind ripped back Sam's hair and she felt the moment the coaster flew off the tracks, the feeling of flying through the air one she was familiar with.

The crash happened only a moment later and it felt like she was being slammed into a brick wall. It wasn't as painful as she thought it would be as her head sunk under the liquid and her lungs screamed for air that had been knocked out of her upon impact.

Everything was dark and cloudy and pain spiked through her chest so badly she would have wondered if she'd injured her ribs. But she didn't, because what was the point? She wasn't going to live for much longer to care; she could already feel the darkness closing in and Tucker's hand had pulled away from hers.

But even though it felt unfair and she had so much more of her life waiting for her, at least Danny was alive. And the fact that those bright green eyes were the last thing she saw made everything just a little bit less crushing as she sunk with the weight of the cars.

* * *

**A/N**

**I was initially going to do more in this chapter, but I decided the rest of what happens I want to be in Danny's POV, so, here you go! Sorry, I couldn't resist one final cliffhanger before the completion of this story!**

**Also I have to say that it was incredibly difficult to write a roller coaster ride that lasted a thousand freakin years. Like come on, it was like five minutes long in that episode. The longest ride I've ever been on lasted what, a minute? Maybe? Movie magic I guess cause they totes would have been dead already lol.**

**Hope you guys enjoyed, please leave me a comment or a review, I live for the notifications and I'd love to hear your thoughts! The final chapter should be up in a few days, perhaps even on the one year mark of when I first published it! That would be cool ^-^**


	25. 25 - Danny

The thermos felt cold in his hands, gloved fingers wrapped tight around the base as Danny's breath shuddered out.

"Sucker." He spoke aloud, a wave of emotion flooding through him. Freakshow was gone. Freakshow was _finally_ gone. He'd beaten him.

Lowering the thermos, Danny's shoulder screamed, the joint out of place as he grimaced at the movement. His body ached more with every breath that rattled through his lungs but he was _relieved_. It was all over. It was all finally-

"Danny!"

Jerking his head up, the halfa's gaze settled on the point of the scream, Sam's eyes locked onto his as the coaster hurtled down its final drop. A drop that led directly to the vat of acid Freakshow had created as the final act.

"No!" His body took over before his mind had fully registered what was happening. On his feet and running, Danny's hand scooped up the gauntlet and flew through the air, pushing himself faster and faster. He had to make it, _he had to make it_.

Wind cut across his face as Sam smiled, a heart broken, soul wrenching smile that made the boy want to cry. _He had to make it, he had to make it._ _Oh God, he wasn't going to make it_.

His family, his friends, what was the point of conquering Freakshow if they paid the price? That stupid ringmaster and his stupid gems. Wait,_ the gems_.

Glancing down at the gauntlet, Danny slipped his hand inside and felt the metal conform to his arm and around his fingers, fitting him perfectly as he pressed each of the gems in sequence.

Power surged through him, energy filling his veins as he thrust his hand out towards the coaster. Just as the ride flew from the tracks and dove towards the vat, a glittering of crimson shot through the air and a splash of water flew up as the cars struck the surface of the pool now lying in the acid's place.

Flying the last few yards, Danny got to the edge just as his family began to surface. His mother and father were first, frantic hands latching onto his sister as she sputtered out the water from her lungs.

The Foley's were next, than the Manson's. And then Tucker, his beret soggy and floating beside him as he tugged hard and Sam's head popped up last.

Relief bubbled out of the halfa in the form of a laugh, his body doubling over as he perched on the edge of the pool and listened to the group in the water. They were alive. Everyone was alive.

"Are you guys okay?" He finally forced out, green eyes darting between each person as Sam and Tucker grinned wildly up at him.

They seemed to be the only ones though as the adults all stared in shock and awe as Danny felt the sudden urge to shrink back. The gauntlet suddenly weighed a thousand pounds as he shifted awkwardly, clearing his throat before speaking again.

"Oh, hi Mr. and Mrs. Manson. Mr. and Mrs. Foley." He gave an awkward wave as Tucker dropped his head while Sam snorted next to him.

Dropping his hand and shoving them behind his back, he felt like disappearing on the spot. And he might've, if an unearthly shriek hadn't risen behind him.

A wave of green and red and black shot through the air and towered above him as Lydia hovered in the midst of her powers, glowing crimson eyes glaring hatefully at him. And yet, all the halfa could do was sigh. Couldn't he just have a break?

Danny stared up at her blankly, blinking once as she shot her hands forward and sent her tattoos to attack him.

"Couldn't just leave, could you?" He asked dryly, lifting the gauntlet up and catching her eye. "Well then, as for you."

In a burst of light the ghost transformed, her body shifting and molding into a new design, her limbs contorting and bleeding together until she had changed into a glowing fish in midair.

Hatred and bitterness bled from the boy as he twisted his hand and she changed again, the energy around her fading as her body shifted into the shape an apple, the sheen of it the same color as her ghastly eyes.

Smirking, Danny turned his hand again and with a cry Lydia's form twisted into a furry teddy bear with black button eyes and a white nose.

Glancing back at Sam, she stared at him in a mixture of amusement and forced disappointment as he finally lowered his hand and Lydia returned to her normal body.

With a terrified scream she flew off, disappearing into the purple sky as Danny rolled his good shoulder and held his other carefully against his side.

He might've been too hard on her, but he really didn't care. He was tired and annoyed and frankly she and Freakshow could go to hell for what they'd put them all through.

Jumping to the ground and walking into the middle of the stadium, Danny looked around at the screens that displayed the horrific world Freakshow had created.

"Let's change some things around, shall we?" He said aloud, turning around in a circle as he focused on the screens intently.

The power of the reality gems burst through him, wave after wave of energy coursing through his veins like he was made of pure electricity.

Raising his arm in the air, a beam of light shot into the sky, red and yellow and blue wrapping around and around as they disappeared into a beam into the clouds.

He could feel it inside him, the way everything changed. It was like existing everywhere at once though he stood frozen with his feet in the grass.

He stood in the fields as the crops were returned and the cattle moved about their pastures. He flew with the cars that drove along the flattened roads and smiled as the monuments returned to their former glory.

People who had been killed or burned or transformed were rising and brushing themselves off, unaware of their demise and the tortures that had befallen their world just minutes ago. Horrors that now had never happened.

There was so much power held within his hands, so much he could do and so many lives he could save. The blood and the gore was washed away and bright skies filtered in as his arm lowered to the circus around him.

The stadiums disappeared along with their raging fans, the screens turned into clouds and the roller coaster faded away with a cool summer breeze as a bright cerulean sky shined overhead.

Lowering his hand entirely, a wave of exhaustion swept over the boy as two rings of light overtook him, traveling up and down and changing him into his human half.

The world swayed as he staggered a step forwards to keep his balance, dizziness nearly overtaking him on the spot.

"Danny!" His father's voice jolted him, adrenaline forcing him awake as he looked up, his mouth suddenly dry.

"Young man." His mother said sternly, both of his parents walking over to where he stood as he swallowed thickly.

Now or never. He couldn't run anymore. Glancing over their shoulders he spotted Tucker and Sam with their parents while Jazz stood off to the side, her hand over her mouth as she watched them.

"I-I.. I'm sorry." He said weakly, his gaze falling to the ground as he waited for them to yell at him. He deserved it after all. All of it was his fault.

Freakshow wanted to make _him_ suffer and they had been taken and put in danger because of that. He couldn't even begin to apologize to them or the Manson's and the Foley's. It was his fault, all of it was.

His father was right in front of him as Danny held his ground, forcing himself not to shy away as he bent over him. Would they want to experiment on him now? Would they want to run tests and cut into him for what he was?

The questions were running wild in his mind but everything stopped when his father's arms wrapped tightly around him.

Pain coursed through him as Danny bit his lip, shock and surprise at the reaction keeping him frozen in place as his father squeezed him in a hug. After several seconds he pulled away and Danny caught his breath at the tears in the man's eyes.

"We're very proud of you, son." He said firmly, a hand resting on his arm as the halfa blinked, his mouth falling open a fraction as his mother rushed forwards, tackling him into a hug of her own.

He couldn't stop the sharp gasp of pain when she connected with him but she didn't seem to hear as she stifled a sob. "Oh! Oh my baby boy!" She cried, pulling away and bending over him as her fingers brushed against his bruised cheek.

Tears burned his own eyes as Danny fought the lump in his throat as he looked between his parents. "But I-I lied to you." He forced out, his voice strangled as he looked away again, shame and guilt weighing over him as his fists clenched tightly. "Over and over for a-a really long time."

A shadow moved as his father knelt beside him, his towering frame seeming smaller than usual as Danny pressed his arm tightly against his side in an attempt to focus on the pain rather than the building emotion.

"If I were you guys I'd be furious." Why weren't they angry? Or were they? Were they just trying to put on a show for the others? No, his parents had never been like that. But he'd done so many things wrong, so why weren't they mad?

Why weren't they flooding him with questions and asking about what tests they could run? How long had they wanted to get their hands on the ghost boy and now here he was right in front of them, so why weren't they doing anything about it?

"Well of _course_ you lied to us," His mother spoke, tears streaking down her face as she brushed his cheek again before pushing the hair away from his eyes. "We never gave you any reason not to."

It was getting harder to fight the tears of his own, a weak sniffle coming out of him as his father pressed his sleeve against one of the cuts still bleeding on his arm.

"All this time we've been yammering on about destroying and dissecting ghosts, I'd have been terrified too if I were you!" He shook his head, using his other hand to carefully tilt the boy's head as his parent's inspected his injuries.

He felt the moment the first tear fell but _damnit_ he didn't want to cry, he _wasn't_ going to cry.

"Oh, Danny." His mother whispered, a shaking hand falling to his ruined shoulder, the boy wincing at the contact. "We love you, sweetie, _you_." She said earnestly as he looked away again, his vision blurring from the moisture that wouldn't quit gathering.

"Hey, we mean it, Danny." His father smiled, lifting the boy's head again. "Whether you're a ghost boy or something in between."

He couldn't stop them anymore, the tears were tumbling down his cheeks as he raised a hand to try and stifle his sob, too overwhelmed to do anything but cry as his parents stood around him.

"You've saved so many people and we never knew. I'm so sorry, Danny, we were so oblivious." His mother sighed, a hand running gently through his ragged hair as she took her husband's hand in her own.

"We're incredibly proud of everything you do, Danny, you're a real hero." His father grinned while nudging his son as the halfa laughed, the sound choked as he broke down entirely, launching himself into his father's arms as he hugged him tightly.

"It doesn't matter what you are, because you're always _our_ _son_." He assured the boy as his shoulders shook and chest heaved, sobs he'd been holding back for days breaking free as his parents held him.

He wished he'd known they would react like this ages ago. The love they felt for him, the understanding; he should've trusted them long before now.

Every breath rattled out painfully but he didn't care. For the first time he wasn't worried about his secret or ghosts or some stupid Fenton invention getting in the way of things. He had his parents, _they_ _knew_, and they still loved him. They weren't going to hurt him or hunt him or put him through unthinkable tortures; they were going to protect him and keep him safe.

Maybe he wouldn't have to deal with it all alone anymore. Maybe with their help they could all keep Amity Park safe. He didn't want to lie to them anymore, didn't want to keep things a secret.

He'd been crushed under the weight of it all, under the responsibility, but he wasn't alone anymore. He had them and he knew he could count on them for anything.

_But what of their safety?_

The thought struck Danny like a metal pipe to his chest, the air knocked from his lungs as the thoughts raced uncontrollably.

The world knew his secret. Everyone, everywhere, they all knew he was the ghost boy. The Guys in White had proven to what lengths they would go to and that was only one branch of the government. Who was to say that others wouldn't try?

His friends, his family, those just connected to the people he cared about had been drug into Freakshow's mess. How could he leave things as they were when everyone he loved was in danger?

The arms around him began to fall and he felt panic clawing up his throat, terror latching onto his every ragged breath as his parents looked at him in concern.

"Danny? Sweetie, are you alright?" His mother asked, reaching out for him as he shied away, instinctively drawing his injured arm closer to his side.

"Fine." He ground out. He just needed time to think, to make a decision. Maybe he could still let them remember. Maybe it would all work out.

_But are they safer not knowing?_

Glancing up and meeting their watchful eyes, his heart broke in his chest. He didn't need to think. His decision had already been made the moment he knew they were in danger.

The weight and the responsibility caved in on him and more tears spilled down his face, though they were far from the happy ones they'd been earlier.

"We need to fix you up, son, are you ready to go home?" His father asked, and it was said so lovingly Danny could barely contain himself.

They couldn't know. He couldn't risk them getting hurt on his behalf. He couldn't live with himself if this sort of thing happened again. He couldn't. He wouldn't.

"Danny, what's wrong?" Looking away, the halfa's eyes shut tightly as he inhaled a trembling breath. He could do this. He _had_ to do this. For them. For his family. He could do whatever he had to do if it was for them.

"Thank you," He whispered, forcing his eyes to open and a smile to stretch across his lips. Everything felt shattered, pieces of his life cracking apart before his eyes. "For accepting this, accepting me." _Shit_, his voice was cracking; he needed to stay strong. "I appreciate that, more than you guys will ever-ever know."

Another ragged breath fought to fill his lungs as his eyes looked over his parent's shoulders. His gaze landed on Jazz and found she was crying too. Although she was smiling, happy with what had happened. She would never know, he'd make sure she didn't remember.

Shifting his gaze to Tucker and Sam, he spotted them sitting with their families. Tucker cradled his arm against his chest, blood streaming from his shoulder as his mother fawned over him and his father smiled as his son regaled him with what had to be their adventures.

Sam sat with her parents but it was obvious she'd pushed away their hovering, her arm wrapped around her ribs as she met his gaze. She began to smile at him; at least until she noticed the look he knew he couldn't hide. Not from her, never from her. She knew him too well.

He couldn't bring himself to speak again as he let the gauntlet shift against his leg. It was enough though and Sam's eyes widened.

"_Danny, no."_ She mouthed, half rising as the boy shook his head. She couldn't stop him, not this time. Nothing could.

"Of course we accept you, sweetie, how could we not?" His mother was saying, but he wasn't paying attention anymore. He couldn't.

"More than you know.." He repeated, his words mumbling out as he shifted his gaze to Jasmine.

"What did you say?" His father asked as Danny met his lingering stare, his heart beating fast in his chest as he backed away from them and lifted his hand.

"Or will ever remember."

"Danny!" Jasmine yelled, but it was too late.

"I'm sorry."

Energy and power flowed through him and colored light blinded the boy as he focused on his desire. He just wanted them safe. _Please just keep them safe._

* * *

It had taken longer to find than it really should've. All he'd needed to do was find the one giant, white building amongst the steel and the glass. For a supposed top secret agency, they _really_ needed to work on their discretion.

Phasing through the ceiling, Danny remained intangible as he checked the directory. "Sub-Basement, Top Secret. Seriously, guys?" He scoffed, phasing through the ground as an alarm began to go off around him.

Rolling his eyes, he kept going further and further until he reached a room filled with men in suits. He felt like he'd walked in on a department store with the way they were all dressed. Didn't they know how much they stood out? And what happened if one of their suits got stained? Did they have a super secret stain remover, or just an endless supply of white jackets?

A red light flashed on the ceiling and several of the men were running around and yelling at each other but it wasn't until he neared the other end of the room that he spotted the two men he'd come for.

"What is it?" One of them shouted, leaning across their desk as the other spun around and pointed to a dial on the wall.

"A massive spike in ectoenergy!"

Tilting his head, Danny almost had to laugh as he turned tangible again and hovered quietly in the air. There were at least ten _supposedly_ trained agents in the room, but not one had taken notice of him yet. How did they ever get any work done being _that_ oblivious?

"Yeah, that would be me." The boy finally waved, the gauntlet catching the fluorescent lights and sending fragments scattering across the floor as the two men looked up at him.

He wasn't all that surprised when the men pulled out guns and aimed them at him with scowls stretched across their faces. To his relief though he found himself to be unafraid. Maybe it was because of his last fight with Freakshow or maybe because he had more power in one finger than they did in the whole building; but they were nothing anymore.

"Ah, ah, ah." He warned, raising his hand and smirking as a flash of light appeared and the guns the men were holding shifted form. In one man's hand resided a tuba and in the other a highly annoyed chicken.

"What the hell?" The second yelped, dropping the feathered bird as it ran clucking angrily across the room.

"Here, a gift." The halfa stated, holding out the Fenton Thermos and tossing it to the ground behind them.

The men turned as the container shuddered and spun around, the lid breaking off as Freakshow himself tumbled out in all his ghostly glory. His leathery wings spread wide and his claws dug into the tile as the agents backed away in horror.

"Eat a snickers, Freak." Danny scoffed, lifting his hand again as the man changed back into a human, his impish form pale and skeletal as he glared up at the ghost boy.

Despite their shock the men moved quickly, grabbing ahold of the ringmaster and securing him as Danny went to take his leave. He was halfway gone when he backtracked, an idea striking him as he shot a hard stare at the two agents.

"Oh, and from now on, you're gonna leave Danny Fenton and his family _alone_."

"Yeah?" One of the men barked out, yanking Freakshow to his feet. "And why would we do that?"

To say he was giddy about what he did next was an understatement. With a wave of his hand and a devious grin, the gauntlet glowed brightly. "Because he's not the ghost you're looking for."

Light enveloped the Guys in White, their limbs relaxing as they spoke together in a monotone voice. "He's not the ghost we're looking for."

"Oh yeah, Tuck's gonna be jealous." Danny snickered, turning himself intangible as he shot through the roof of the building and flew outside.

Inhaling a deep breath of the fresh air, afternoon light bathed over him as he took off towards his home. Maybe he would just fly around for a while, enjoy being free and just floating with the breeze.

* * *

The sun had begun to set as Danny spotted Fenton Works beneath him, the halfa ducking into the alley and changing back into his human half before striding out onto the street.

Sam and Tucker sat on his front steps talking and he took a moment to stare. When he'd reversed things with his parents, he'd reversed it all. Not a single mark remained on any of them from their trip, not a single reminder of what they'd been through. Except for their memories, of course.

He'd considered taking away his friend's memories as he'd done with their families but in that one moment Danny had found he couldn't do it. He couldn't bear to deal with what happened alone.

Besides, they'd had some fun traveling just the three of them and since they had nothing else to remember it by, it only felt right. It started with the three of them, it should end with the three of them.

"So, now that's it, I set everything back to the way it was before." He announced, walking in front of his friends as their conversation halted. "Nobody knows I'm half ghost except you two and Jazz." Hesitating, he held up his arm and stared at the glinting metal. "Now it's time to destroy this thing for good."

He didn't want to; he liked the way it felt on him. He liked the energy it gave him, the way it amplified his power. What would it do if he used his ectoenergy with it? How many ghosts could he keep at bay if he kept it?

"Danny?" Glancing up, Sam had her hands clasped in front of her as she peered up at him wearily. "What happened?"

"What do you mean?" He asked, but his voice caught at the end because he already knew what she wanted to know. What he really, _really_ didn't want to answer.

"Dude, one second we're with our folks the next we're outside the school and none of it happened. The world was fine, no one knew you were a ghost, but.."

"We remember it all. Three days of our life that happened and passed but no one else does." Sam said softly, fingers brushing through dark strands of hair as lavender eyes burned into him.

"I used the gauntlet to make everyone forget. Everyone except us. Then I took Freakshow to the Guys in White. Figure they can deal with him for a while." Danny shrugged, leaning against the stairs leading to his home as Tucker twisted his head.

"Did we really almost die on a roller coaster?"

"Theme parks are totally ruined for me now." Sam muttered, bringing a smile to Danny's face. "It doesn't seem really real though, does it? Like I know it is, but it's weird. It's almost like it was some kind of freaky dream."

"It kind of was." Danny sighed, running his hand through his hair as he glanced up at his home.

"What about your parents?" Sam asked, staring up at him as the boy swallowed thickly.

"They don't remember either. It's better that way though, you know?" He shrugged again, peering down at the metal stretched along his arm.

"Danny, how did you survive?"

He'd expected questions, but that was the one he'd wanted to avoid most of all as his eyes flickered up to the two staring intently at him.

He couldn't tell them the truth. He couldn't tell them how he'd felt the cars tear him apart. How he felt cold and empty and how he melted into the darkness and gave in to the numbness.

Freakshow wouldn't let him die that easily though, not unless it was directly by his hands. He'd just wanted him out of the way, although it hadn't lasted as long as he'd wanted. But it was hell all the same.

He was aware but not, things poking and stabbing at him in the dark until he'd reformed. If he thought about it for too long he could still feel the searing pain of his limbs ripping apart.

"I just, did." He said, his fingers picking at the raised indentations of the gems as he feigned great interest in their design.

"Yeah, but you went _everywhere_, you just broke all apart and-"

"It's okay." Sam cut in, her hand falling on Tucker's arm as she interjected. "I guess we should just be grateful we're all okay, right?"

Meeting her gaze, Danny nearly smiled. God, she always read him so easily. "Are you guys okay?" He asked, desperate to get off the topic that was going to be the cause of his nightmares for the next month.

"Yeah, just tired." Tucker said quickly, reaching up and adjusting his glasses.

"Hey!" A voice called out, the trio turning and spotting Dash and Paulina waking towards them. Quickly moving his arms behind him to hide the gantlet, Danny stared at the dark haired girl closely.

"Fentonio, Orlando and Dawn, what are you still doin in town?" The jock shot out, sneering down at them as he clutched a beach ball to his chest.

"Yeah, weren't you taking a trip to _Loserville_?" Paulina scoffed as Danny fought the grimace off his face. Any other day he'd have given anything to see her in a bathing suit, but somehow she wasn't nearly as pretty as he'd once thought. "Oh wait, you're already there!" With a cackling laugh, the girl stalked off with Dash by her side as her arm slid through his.

"Oh man that's right, everything is back the way it was." Danny groaned, his palm smacking into his forehead as he realized the act of comradery had been wiped away as well.

"Popularity was nice while it lasted." Tucker sighed, leaning back on his hands as Sam shoved his arm.

"What popularity? They only cared about Danny."

"Popularity by _association_, Sam. It's a whole big thing that _you_ wouldn't understand." The boy shoved her back as Danny smiled.

"You know what this means though?" The halfa asked as his friends stood from the stoop. "We should be getting ready for our vacation!"

He knew the moment he'd said it that it had struck a nerve and he worked to restrain a laugh at the wide eyed look both his friends wore. They exchanged a glance before Sam ran her fingers across the back of her neck.

"Uh, if it's okay Danny, _pass_."

"Yeah, we already had _one_ cross country trip together, I don't think we could survive another." Tucker admitted sheepishly as Danny smirked at them.

"Yeah, I guess so. Besides, you've already experienced all you can eat barbeque, what could live up to that?" He teased as Sam rolled her eyes in disgust.

"I still have the sound of you _slurping_ stuck in my head."

"Hey, that was the greatest food I've ever eaten!" He defended, the two beginning to bicker as Danny's eyes fell to the gauntlet he still wore.

Curling his fingers into a fist, he could feel the power snaking through his limb, traveling through his shoulder and radiating around him. It was mesmerizing and he could see how someone could be entranced by the power. Power that no one in the world needed to have access to again.

"It's time to finish this." Danny interrupted their quarreling, glancing up at his friends before looking around the street.

In a flash of light Danny changed into his ghost half before he shot into the air, hovering above the buildings as twilight began to blanket their town.

Taking a deep breath Danny pulled the gauntlet off and threw it into the air. Releasing a large blast of ectoenergy, the gauntlet burst into pieces that rained down over him as he shielded himself from the fragments.

As the dust cleared, he looked down at his arm where it had once been and shook the feeling from his mind. He was ready to forget it all, to forget everything that happened. It was all just a really, really bad dream now.

"Hey!" Turning at the shout, Danny's eyes landed on his father standing in his the window glaring hatefully at him. "Yeah, you!" He waved, his fist balled in the air and thankfully fully clothed this time around. "You got a lot of nerve flying around like that!"

Danny almost smiled, his father disappearing from view before returning a moment later with one of his Fenton Blasters. "You never change." He murmured, starting to fly away.

"When I get my hands on you, I'm going to rip you apart _molecule_ by _molecule_!"

"Sure you will." He smirked, keeping his voice quiet as a shot fired from the blaster that the halfa easily dodged. His parents were still crazy about the whole ghost hunting thing and someday he would find a way to tell them the truth, _eventually_, but for now he could live with the way things were.

"Have a nice summer!" He called, flying off into the sky as the man continued to shout angrily behind him.

Warm air drifted around the halfa as he flew, deciding to take a lap around before returning to his friends.

His town looked exactly the same and it was hard to believe that not anything had changed. But he definitely had, and he knew his friends had as well. Everything that happened, it had shaped them in just a few days. Suddenly Danny felt a little bit braver, a little bit stronger and maybe just a little bit more confident.

He was tired of fawning over the girls who mocked him in school. He was sick of overlooking the feelings he had for the one person who knew him better than anyone else.

Maybe this summer would be different. Maybe he'd make it different. And just maybe he'd start by changing things with Sam.

_**-END-**_

* * *

**A/N**

**And with that, the story is finished! Thank you so much, each and every one of you! I can't believe it's been a year, I can't believe it's finally finished! This is the first fanfiction I've ever fully completed and I'm beyond proud of myself and of the way it turned out.**

**Thank you for all your kind words, for all your support and for enjoying every chapter right along with me! I've come a long way in my writing just since starting this and I know I will come even further as my other stories progress! **

**I hope the ending was satisfactory, with just a little hint of DannyxSam at the end and our boy growing from such an experience! I had considered having his parents remember, but I did really want to stay true to the episode as much as possible.**

**If you want to check out some of my other stories, I've got others in the works! I also plan on creating another Danny Phantom story with the same realism shown in this one, although I haven't decided on which episode yet, so send me some ideas!**

**Thank you all so much again and I hope that anyone reading this in the future will love this just as much as people did when it first came out!**

**\- Ace ^-^**


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